By Piper Sartison
Elm Staff Writer
Maryland recently shifted its taxation plan, affecting tobacco and vehicle costs.
The increase of $340 million is aimed to fund education programs and transportation. Not every Marylander will be affected by the tax shift, as tobacco and vehicle users will mainly feel the brunt of the bill.
According to The Washington Post, registered drivers will “have to pay an additional $23 surcharge each year — or $46 every two years — when their registration comes due. The money will more robustly fund the Trauma Physician Services Fund, the shock trauma system and the Maryland Emergency Medical System Operations Fund.” Additionally, registered drivers can expect heavier vehicles to cost more than lighter ones.
The cost to register a vehicle in Maryland will raise by approximately $92, which will go directly to the Transportation Trust Fund.
The tax increase will also raise fine charges. According to The Washington Post, “the more you speed the more you pay.” Drivers who are caught speeding will now be charged more than the current average amount of $40. The maximum fine for speeding 40 miles over the limit will be as high as $500.
According to Maryland Matters, Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Guy Guzzone said, “There is a lot to be proud of, in this package…At the end of the day, I honestly believe that a lot of lives are going to be better off.”
In addition to the rise in vehicle cost, tobacco users will experience a heightening in the cost of tobacco. According to WTOP, “A variety of tobacco tax increases, including an additional $1.25 on a pack of cigarettes, will help generate about $91 million for K-12 education, though that amount is estimated to drop off due to a projected decline in tobacco use.” Following the implementation of the bill, Maryland will have the second highest cigarette tax in the country, just behind New York.
Raising the tax on nicotine products will improve the quality of life of Marylanders, as it will prevent children from purchasing the products and will assist smokers in beginning to quit. Many politicians such as Guzzone have argued that the bill will help save lives, as tobacco-linked deaths are easily preventable.
As the taxes are implemented, lawmakers are aware that revenue will decrease as projections suggest there will be less tobacco users in the near future.
Ultimately, the tax increase is going to important causes, as educational programs, and the Maryland Emergency Medical System Operations will also receive a large amount of funding. While these causes work to improve the quality of life of Marylanders, the tax increase of tobacco products will also prevent further residents from succumbing to nicotine illness and addiction.
As the budget projections suggest, the taxation implementation will work to create a more sustainable and stable state of Maryland from a health and education standpoint. Marylanders should look forward to the upcoming changes, and many will barely be negatively affected.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Photo caption: Tobacco prices are about to shift for Marylanders thanks to this new tax plan.