POLL: Would a State Gas Tax Help or Hurt?

During his State of the State address in Annapolis, that opponents estimate would add 18 cents per gallon to the 23 cents in state gas taxes.

The bill is expected to be introduced in the next couple of days.

The additional revenue would create "7,500 new jobs, building needed roads, bridges, and public transit" in Maryland, said O'Malley.

Republicans and Democrats representing the Parkville-Overlea area have decried tax increases during the 2012 legislative session.

Early last month, Del. Joe Boteler III (R-8th District) and Del. John Cluster (R-8th District) held a community meeting in Perry Hall to voice their opposition to potential tax increases.

As the meeting began, Boetler spoke up about the proposed gas tax increase.

"They have raided the [transportation] fund," he said, explaining that he believes there would be plenty of money for transportation in the state if governors had not taken money out of the transportation fund for other uses.

"So every guy with a gas station is going to have to sit and figure this out? That's not the way to run an economy," he said in the meeting. "I think it's a way for governors to build a larger pot of money that they can use in the future."

"I think that if enough people make enough noise, they'll back away from it," Boteler said.

In the meeting they were joined by Del. Eric Bromwell (D-8th District), who has led the fight against tax increases in the past.

"Joe and I are Republicans and Eric is a Democrat ... but I want you to know we work very well together. Eric led the floor fight against the alcohol tax. You are well represented in this district," Cluster said in the Jan. 11 meeting.

Do you think that Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposed gas tax is the right solution to create jobs in infrastructure and public transit? Tell us in the comments and be sure to vote in the poll below.

Perry Hall Patch editor Emily Kimball and Aberdeen Patch editor Matt Markowitz contributed to this story.