Members of the Maryland Municipal League (MML) attended a three-day conference Oct. 17 – 19 at the Solomons Island Holiday Inn and Conference Center. The organization, comprised of Maryland’s cities and incorporated towns, holds a fall conference annually in a selected location.
On Friday, Oct. 18, the mayors, council members and other municipal government workers received word from two state officials that a major priority—restoration of Highway User revenues—was very much a goal in 2014.
“We’re going to try to get you extra money with the gas tax,” said Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. [D-District 27], who noted Gov. Martin O’Malley [D] has taken a considerable amount of heat due to the higher levy on motorists. Miller’s announcement of more road money for the towns and cities was received with applause.
League members unanimously voted to make full funding of Municipal Highway User revenues as its top priority during the 2014 session of the Maryland General Assembly. The last time the cities and towns received full funding was 2008. Scott Hancock, the MML’s executive director, said the user fee revenue at its peak was $45 million. By fiscal year 2011 the allocation statewide had dwindled to $1.6 million. Hancock said that challenges many smaller towns when it comes to funding such essential services as road and sidewalk repair and snow removal.
Miller said while the gas tax increase has been criticized, he added that the projects it will help fund are “putting people back to work.”
Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Deputy Secretary of Administration and Operations Wilson H. Parran told MML members the full restoration of Highway User revenues “continues to be a hot issue.”
Parran, who admitted he was also vexed by the state government’s dramatic slashing of the allocations to jurisdictions when he was a Calvert County Commissioner, reported several MDOT projects in the pipeline for the upcoming fiscal years will benefit several towns and cities. The project list includes road improvements, bicycle paths and trails, expansion of bus services and renovations at rail stops.
Parran said many towns and cities would be able to at least partially fund their planned projects with grant money MDOT is allocating. “These projects are creating jobs and stimulating other economic activity,” said Parran. The state has over $15.4 billion worth of transportation proje
