Tag Archives: Transit

A Big Announcement on the Purple Line

by on August 6, 2013 in Uncategorized

I appreciated Governor O’Malley inviting me to speak on behalf of the Council yesterday at an event announcing almost an $1 billion in new state transportation funding for Montgomery County, including $400 million for the Purple Line, along with new funding for the Brookeville Bypass (a high priority in my district), for the Corridor Cities Transitway (a planned transit line along the I-270 corridor), and several other important projects.

The Governor and Lt. Governor Brown also announced that they will seek to find a private partner to help finance and build the Purple Line. This will be the first time the State has used a Public Private Partnership (P3), an innovative funding mechanism, to finance a transit project of this scale.

I was also joined at the announcement by County Executive Leggett, Prince George’s County Executive Baker, many of my Council colleagues, members of our state delegation, a number of municipal leaders. I was happy to see many pro-Purple Line activists in the audience, some of whom have been working for years, even decades, to get us to this point.

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My testimony on the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act

by on March 15, 2013 in Uncategorized

The Ways and Means Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates is holding a hearing today on HB 1515, the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013. This critical bill would increase funding for transportation projects across the state. Here is the testimony I will be submitting to the Committee:

The Montgomery County Council unanimously supports HB 1515: Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013.

On behalf of the Council, I want to commend Governor O’Malley, Speaker Busch, and Senate President Miller for putting forward a solution that will address Maryland’s transportation needs. This legislation recognizes that we will rise or fall together – as One Maryland. This statewide solution will raise revenue to fund projects from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore. Having resources available to build our transit infrastructure and maintain our roads and bridges will help our private sector grow and economy thrive.

Maryland’s economic future rests on our ability to fund our state’s transportation priorities. The Council is supportive of indexing the gasoline tax and phasing in the state sales tax on the wholesale price of gasoline. The funding mechanisms offered by this legislation will keep our gas prices competitive with surrounding jurisdictions. The Council also supports the “lockbox” provision in the bill to ensure that revenues generated remain dedicated for transportation purposes. As with any revenue increase, we hope the General Assembly will explore ways of minimizing the impact on lower income families.

Montgomery County continues to have serious concerns about shifting responsibility for funding transportation to local jurisdictions. We are glad to see no local funding element is included in this legislation and look forward to reviewing the recommendations of the working group that will study funding mechanisms for local transportation systems.

My colleagues on the Council and I continue to remain optimistic that the General Assembly will take decisive action this year to address our state’s growing transportation needs. Both Montgomery County and Maryland’s economic success depends on moving our transit projects and transportation infrastructure forward.

Council President Nancy Navarro Thanks Maryland’s Leaders for Proposing Transportation Funding Solutions

by on March 5, 2013 in Press Releases

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 5, 2013 — Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro today offered thanks to Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Speaker of the House of Delegates Michael Busch and Senate President Mike Miller for proposing legislation that could lead to increased funding for transportation projects around the state. Montgomery County has been seeking funding for projects including the Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway and a Bus Rapid Transit system.

The complete text of Council President Navarro’s statement:

Thank you to Governor O’Malley, Speaker Busch and Senate President
Miller for proposing a serious transportation solution. Maryland’s
economic future rests on our ability to fund our state’s
transportation priorities. The proposal to lower and index the gas
tax, while adding a sales tax on the wholesale price of gasoline, will
keep Maryland’s transportation funding and gas prices competitive with
our neighbors across the Potomac River.

Governor O’Malley’s proposal recognizes that we will rise or fall
together—as One Maryland. His statewide solution will raise revenue to
fund projects from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore. Having
resources available to build our transit infrastructure and maintain
our roads and bridges will help our private sector grow and economy
thrive.

I look forward to working with our delegation in Annapolis over the
next 6 weeks to pass the Transportation Infrastructure and Investment
Act of 2013.

My Testimony on SB830 – Transportation Funding Bill

by on February 20, 2013 in Uncategorized

I am testifying today at 2PM before the Maryland State Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on SB 830, which is also known as the Transportation Financing Act. The bill would increase funding for transportation projects in the state. Without new revenue, many crucial transit and road projects here in Montgomery County are in serious jeopardy.

Here is the complete text of my testimony:

Good afternoon Chairman Kasemeyer and Members of the Budget and Taxation Committee:

My name is Nancy Navarro and I am the President of the Montgomery County Council. I am pleased to testify today in favor of increased funding for transportation.

I want to begin by commending Senate President Miller and the co-sponsors of SB 830 for putting forward a proposal that starts this urgent conversation about addressing Maryland’s transportation needs. While my colleagues on the Council and I may not support every detail in these bills, we view it as a positive step toward our shared goal of addressing our growing transit needs and maintaining our existing transportation infrastructure. 

The Council is firm in its belief that transportation funding is a statewide obligation that requires a statewide solution. That is why we favor the proposal to establish a sales and use tax on gasoline, although the 3 percent in SB 830 will not be sufficient to raise the revenue necessary to meet all of our needs. We would support a fully phased in 6 percent sales tax on gasoline or a 1-cent increase on the state sales tax, which would both raise a more substantial level of revenue.

Montgomery County continues to have serious concerns about shifting responsibility for funding transportation to local jurisdictions. Asking Montgomery County or Baltimore City taxpayers to disproportionately shoulder the cost for projects that will ultimately benefit the entire state’s economy is not a sustainable approach for funding transportation. We do not believe it is appropriate at this time to create Transit Benefit Districts with taxing authority or providing local governments with the ability to levy a gas tax. Any discussion of local transportation revenues is premature until all statewide options are fully considered.

My colleagues on the Council and I continue to remain optimistic that the General Assembly will take decisive action this year to address our state’s growing transportation needs. Both Montgomery County and Maryland’s economic success depends on moving our transit projects and transportation infrastructure forward.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.