By: Nicholas Sohr

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said Friday he doesn’t think lawmakers can round up the votes to raise the state’s gas tax during a special session this fall.

Miller, the most powerful advocate of raising the fuel levy in the General Assembly, told Brucy DePuyt on NewsChannel 8 that “we’re not going to be able to get the votes to raise the gas tax in October.”

More from Miller: “The problem is gas hovering almost to $5 a gallon. I don’t think public sentiment is going to be there in terms of the population, it’s not going to be there in terms of the legislature, especially with the uncertainty in the Middle East. So… somewhere in the near future we’re going to have to deal with it. But my prediction is with the current uncertainty, and the high cost of gas, we’re not going to be able to get the votes to raise the gas tax in October.”

That came just days after Miller sent a letter to Gov. Martin O’Malley and other lawmakers pressing for the gas tax and other mechanisms to raise transportation dollars to be on the agenda when the General Assembly returns in the fall for a special session on congressional redistricting.

Transportation funding has been a top issue for O’Malley since the legislature wrapped up its session last month. He has lobbied for the business community’s support on the issue, but the question of raising the gas tax has split traditional allies in the private sector.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Maryland Transportation Funding has recommended the state seek $800 million in new transportation revenues every year.  Raising the gas tax — which has been at 23.5 cents per gallon since 1992 — would likely be a part of any revenue package put forth by O’Malley or legislative leaders.

Bumping the tax to 33.5 cents and indexing it to inflation would bring in an additional $385 million, the commission estimated. Applying the 6 percent sales tax to gasoline and diesel sales would yield $580 million.

Other options include raising driver license fees by $10 to yield $15 million, bumping transit fares by 25 percent, for $30 million, and raising emissions inspection fees by $10, to bring in $15 million.