Maryland’s Gas Tax Holiday Ends at Midnight

By Kate Ryan

Maryland drivers may have gotten used to not having to pay the state’s 36 cent gas tax. But it comes to an end on Sunday, April 17.

Lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly and Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) agreed to suspend the gas tax last month to help residents who were hit with a jump in gasoline prices after Russia invaded Ukraine. The bill was passed in Annapolis on March 18.

Maryland Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, floated the idea of a gas tax holiday during the March 10 Board of Revenue Estimates meeting. Franchot favored a 90-day break from the state tax, arguing at the time that the state’s healthy fiscal outlook could support forgoing revenues from gasoline sales.

During the General Assembly session, a number of Republican lawmakers expressed support for extending the suspension of the tax.

The gas tax holiday cost the state an estimated $100 million dollars. Lawmakers amended the state budget to make sure the tax loss did not diminish revenues to the Transportation Trust Fund, which is used to pay for road and highway projects.

In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin has proposed a three-month suspension of the gas tax. It’s hung up in the General Assembly; Democrats have made their own proposal.

Danielle E. Gaines contributed to this report. 

As part of Maryland Matters’ content sharing agreement with WTOP Radio, we feature this article from Kate Ryan. Click here for the WTOP News website.

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