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A Republican lawmaker tried and failed to extend Maryland鈥檚 gasoline tax holiday by amendment on Thursday, and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) faced pushback from Republican lawmakers who felt debate was unfairly curtailed.
Del. Brenda Thiam (R-Washington) proposed the amendment to聽聽鈥� which would extend Maryland鈥檚 energy storage tax credit 鈥� to continue the statewide gas tax holiday for 45 days. The current tax break is set to expire April 16, and the amendment would have extended it through Memorial Day.
鈥淢any are still struggling,鈥� Thiam said. 鈥淭hough we know this is a short-term relief, it鈥檚 a necessary relief.鈥�
Last month, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) signed a measure that pauses the 36-cent-per-gallon tax that retailers owe the state, to ease what consumers pay at the pump in the wake of a spike in crude oil prices since Russia invaded Ukraine. Although the state does not have authority to set gas prices,聽聽soon after lawmakers suspended the tax.
Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot (D), Maryland鈥檚 chief tax collector and a candidate for governor, had called for a three-month pause on the state鈥檚 gas tax and recently wrote a Maryland Matters聽聽calling for the extended gas tax holiday.
鈥淐omptroller Franchot strongly believes we need a 60-day extension to the gas tax holiday,鈥� Susan O鈥橞rien, spokeswoman for Franchot said. 鈥淭here is time before Sine Die to get this extension in place 鈥� whether it is by a bill or by giving the Governor the power to extend it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great that we were the first state to pass a gas tax holiday, but it鈥檚 not great that we鈥檒l be the first state to end it,鈥� she continued.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R)聽recently proposed聽suspending that state鈥檚 gas tax for three months and slowly phasing it in again in August and September. But Youngkin鈥檚 proposal came after Virgina鈥檚 legislature adjourned聽their special session.
But House Majority Leader Eric Luedtke (D-Montgomery) said that extending the tax holiday would cost an additional $150 million and hurt Maryland鈥檚 Transportation Trust Fund, where gasoline tax revenue goes to improve roads, highways and bridges.
鈥淢arylanders are hurting at the pump but they also need us to make improvements in the roads and highways and bridges that they use every single day,鈥� Luedtke said
Lawmakers had prepared for the $100-million 30-day gas tax suspension by using part of a record budget surplus to backfill the Transportation Trust Fund so that transportation projects would not be delayed, Luedtke said. But because the General Assembly already passed the state budget, it cannot backfill the fund again and another extension would create a shortfall.
But Republicans contended that the state could afford an extension. Minority Leader Jason Buckel (R-Allegany) pointed to the state鈥檚 $211 million cash surplus, which is in addition to other savings accounts like the Rainy Day Fund. 鈥淲e have enough of a cushion,鈥� he said.
Buckel expressed skepticism that economic conditions would change in the next 45 days so that Marylanders could continue to enjoy lower gas prices. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not our fault [that gas prices are high], but we do have an opportunity to try to take a little bit of a bite out of it,鈥� he said.
Appropriations Committee Chair Del. Maggie McIntosh (D-Baltimore City) said although the budget includes a $200 million reserve, McIntosh said the Department of Legislative Services has noted that the state is 鈥渧ery close to eating up that reserve.鈥�
At least two other lawmakers stood to speak during the debate but Jones asked for a quick roll call vote on Thiam鈥檚 amendment.
Del. Jefferson Ghrist (R-Upper Shore) insisted聽that the state could afford to extend the gas tax holiday by backfilling the Transportation Trust Fund next year with money from the federal government.
Jones cut him off to ask if he was explaining his vote on Thiam鈥檚 amendment. Ghrist said he was but wished he could have spoken before Jones called for a vote.
Another lawmaker stood up to explain his vote, but Jones continued the vote, concluding that the amendment failed by a vote of 47-82.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not explaining votes now, Madam Speaker?鈥� one lawmaker protested.
Del. Neil Parrott (R-Washington)聽stood and said it was not right or fair for Jones to ignore lawmakers who were standing to explain their votes.
鈥淵ou saw us, we were both standing,鈥� Parrot said of himself and another lawmaker.
鈥淚 understand, but it鈥檚 my call,鈥� Jones said, raising her hands in the air.
Jones moved to record the vote on the bill, which passed in a 106-29 vote.
Parrott again stood on a 鈥減oint of order鈥� to ask parliamentarian Del. Jheanelle K. Wilkins (D-Montgomery) if that was appropriate according to the rules.
鈥淚t鈥檚 over now, okay, so if you want to be on the floor to say all this, go ahead,鈥� Jones said.
Parrot said that he does not want the same thing to happen again.
鈥淲e鈥檙e running up against Sine Die 鈥� we鈥檙e here for several more bills and more votes,鈥� Parrott said. 鈥淚 want to make sure that people who want to explain their vote鈥ave that opportunity.鈥�
The House Speaker 鈥渃ontrols the floor and gets to make the calls,鈥� Wilkins said. 鈥淚 think Madam Speaker is trying to move us along efficiently.鈥�
