Montgomery County Council lauds transportation bill

Montgomery County Council on Monday voiced unanimous support for Gov. Martin O’Malley’s bill to raise much-needed funding for transportation projects in Maryland.

The proposal would reduce Maryland’s 23.5 cent-per-gallon gas tax by 5 cents to 18.5 cents, index the gas tax to inflation, phase in a 4 percent wholesales tax on gasoline and sell bonds to raise $3.4 billion for transportation. The money would be used to start projects such as the Purple Line light rail, the Corridor Cities Transitway and a rapid bus system.