Maryland lawmakers would charge fees on fossil fuels and high-emissions vehicles to reduce pollution within the state – and send the first $350 million annually to fund schools – under a bill in the state’s General Assembly.
HB33, the Climate Crisis and Education Act, cross-filed with SB76, would require the state to reduce its carbon emissions from 2006 by 60% by 2030 and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045.
Beginning July 31, 2022, all fossil fuels brought into Maryland for burning and all new high-emission vehicles sold or registered within the state would incur a fee, according to the bill.
These companies wouldn’t be allowed to pass these fees on to their customers, according to a legislative analysis.
Brian Smith, a lobbyist for the Washington Gas utility, said companies won’t be able to sustain those costs if they are not passed down to their customers.
“If companies could recover the fees, the cost to customers would be huge,” Smith testified in opposition of the bill.
Smith conducted a test, based on the impact of the proposed carbon tax on Maryland natural gas customers using 2018-2019 figures.
He found that residential rates would increase by 7.4% and commercial rates would increase by 8.8%. The average household would pay about $250 more annually for natural gas by 2031 should the bill pass, Smith told lawmakers.
companies always recover fees, one way or another
its just a tax
Wow another BS tax to pay for the broken education system.taxes not enough lottery not enough now this!!! Shove it MD.. cant wait to leave …issue school vouchers let
citizens decide what where and how we educate the next generation. We certaintly do not want the current corrupt system to be additionaly funded.
Ooh, it’s for the schools! That makes it okay!
Tax you for polluting – then send the money elsewhere!
Telling you it’s for the schools entices you to vote for it…if everything promised to the schools actually went there, the teachers could all make $150K per year!
Taxes are always passed on to the consumer so it’s another tax on you
If it is for the schools WHY DO THE SCHOOLS NOT GET IT?????????? What happened to all the lottery money that was suppose to cover schools?????
If you added up all the tax hikes that are “For the schools” you’d have enough money to retire the national debt.
More BS. And lies….I thought the lottery was gonna take care of this.. guess if you use lottery funds to pay bay bridge tolls during holidays that wont work! How about the savings from 2020? Tax refund since schools were closed? This state already makes it impossible to get by with high taxes until you die and it is why im leaving!!
Wow Once again a new tax is “for the schools”. With all the other “for the schools” taxes and casinos shouldn’t our school systems be in better shape?