Transportation must be fixed! say MD politicians at annual Montgomery Breakfast

Transportation must be fixed! say MD politicians at annual Montgomery Breakfast

Holy highways, Batman! Maryland and Montgomery County Democrats were practically in unison this morning at the 2011 Annual Legislative Breakfast of the Committee for Montgomery, calling for the public funds required to shore up the Washington regions flagging transportation system. Hard to believe these are Maryland political leaders advocating transportation relief, let alone those from Montgomery, after years of slow growth, smart growth and no growth policies, which systematically stymied transportation improvements.

The Committee for Montgomery breakfast, which this year like every year, drew hundreds from business groups, unions, teacher groups and their lobbyists, all of whom eagerly hobnobbed with members of Congress, state legislature leaders and county officials.

The fix transportation theme emerged quickly to eclipse complaints about Capitol Hill gridlock, Republican obstructionists, inadequate education funding and even unemployment, driven home, most pointedly, by County Executive Ike Leggett himself, who said flatly, without viable transportation systems, all the wonderful progress we have made bringing business and industry here, along with our hard won quality of life, will go away. Wow. And if this wasnt enough, Maryland Senate president Mike Miller assured the Montgomery crowd that transportation would be a priority in the upcoming General Assembly, county wide, no less than statewide and region wide. Miller pointed out, as previous speakers had, the positive and ominous significance of having Rushern Baker, county executive from Prince Georges, in attendance as an honored guest. The Intercounty Connector, which only a few years ago was held in contempt and set back by Smart Growth advocates, this morning, was pedestaled as the kind of progress were talking about and should emulate.

When the 2012 Maryland General Assembly convenes in a few weeks, raising public revenues will be on the front burner, starting with the likely prospect of an increase in the gasoline tax, Miller said. The state legislative season in Maryland and Virginia will commence, as it does every year, the first part of January.

Stay tuned.