A Maryland commission told lawmakers on Monday that the state needs to raise $800 million more annually to pay for its backlog of transportation projects.
The 28-member panel recommended that lawmakers generate $600 million in new revenues and provide another $200 million in bond sales. The money would backfill the state’s transportation trust fund, which pays for infrastructure projects such as road and bridge repair.
Gov. Martin O’Malley has drained the fund of $700 million to help plug budget deficits over the last two fiscal years, and his most recent budget proposal would withdraw another $100 million.
The panel also is recommending a constitutional amendment that would ban state officials from dipping into the trust fund for non-transportation-related projects, unless they agree to pay back the money.
