Md. debt cripples quick fixes for $1.6b budget gap | Washington Examiner

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert and Prince George's counties, said taxes will be a tough sell this year, but "at some point in time we're going to have to pass a gasoline tax."

Maryland's 23.5-cents-per-gallon gas tax is lower than those of 27 other states -- including neighboring Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The revenue would return dollars to the state's Transportation Trust Fund, which O'Malley has raided in the past as a source of funding transfers.

On top of fixing the 2012 budget, the legislature is expected to tackle ballooning pension and health benefits costs -- which are $33 billion underfunded.

"We might not end session on time," Miller said, predicting certain gridlock after studying his colleagues' faces during the two-hour budget briefing. "The fact that we're into an extra session will put added pressure on us to do what's right for our constituents and make the tough cuts."