It’s sponsored by Frederick County Delegate April Miller.
Delegate April Miller
Annapolis, Md (KM) A bill to require revenues from the sales and use tax on electric vehicle charging stations to go toward highway maintenance and repair came before the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday. It’s sponsored by Frederick County Delegate April Miller. “It simply designates the sales and use tax that is already being charged and collected when individuals charge their vehicles at public charging stations be then remitted to the Transportation Trust Fund,” she said.
Miller outlined some things that this bill will not do. “This bill does not a create a new tax or tax category. It does not tax electric vehicles in a new way. It does not tax electricity when you charge your vehicle at home,” Miller said.
She said there are expected to be 100,000 electric vehicles registered in the state of Maryland by the first quarter of 2024, and there are about 1600 EV charging stations across the state of Maryland. As the 23 designated EV field corridors are completed, the goal is to have at least four superchargers every 50 miles, Miller says.
“Yet as we increase the number EV’s on our roads, and therefore decrease the number gas and diesel vehicles, we have not committed dedicated funding streams to offset the decreases in gas tax revenues,” Miller continued. “This is the start of a much-needed solution.”
Miller, who says she drives an EV, says electric vehicle drivers should pay their fair share for road maintenance and repairs. “These vehicles use the same roads as our gas and diesel cars and trucks do, causing the same traffic congestion, and wear and tear on our roads and bridges. But the owners are not contributing directly to the fund dedicated to transportation infrastructure improvement or maintenance,” she said.
She asked for a favorable report on this bill. The Committee took no action on Thursday.
By Kevin McManus