SENATOR JIM ROSAPEPE

21st Legislative District

DELEGATE BRIAN J. FELDMAN

15th Legislative District

Prince Georges & Anne Arundel Counties

Montgomery County

James Senate Office Building 11 Bladen Street, Room 314 Annapolis, Maryland 21401 410-841-3141 jim.rosapepe@senate.state.md.us

Lowe House Office Building 6 Bladen Street, Room 350 Annapolis, Maryland 21401 410-841-3186 brian.feldman@house.state.md.us

May 22, 2012 Governor Martin O'Malley Office of the Governor 100 State Circle Annapolis, MD 21401 Dear Governor O'Malley: We're writing to ask you to join us in promoting a new, powerful option to reduce traffic and political gridlock -- and boost economic growth -- in Maryland. It's no secret that our state leads the nation in traffic congestion (Washington suburbs are #1; Baltimore region is #2). Nor is it a secret why: the combination of increased fuel efficiency, the Great Recession, and rising and fluctuating oil prices have blown a big hole in Maryland's transportation trust fund which finances investment in roads, bridges, and transit. With families and businesses continuing to suffer from the weak economy, a majority of the legislature has been understandably unwilling to raise the gasoline tax for the first time in twenty years. Additionally, periodic borrowing from the fund to balance the state general fund budget and the drastic cuts in funds for local transportation services (Highway User Revenue) have made many Marylanders skeptical about where increased transportation revenue will be invested. We believe it's time for new ideas -- and we intend to propose one at the next session of the legislature (a second special this year or the 2013 regular session). We have drafted a constitutional amendment authorizing the governor and the legislature to draw up a specific plan for major public investment in roads, bridges, and transit and present the plan to the voters for approval in a subsequent referendum. Such an approach would be new in Maryland but is common in other states and regions. In the past 3 years, 74 referendums for transportation programs have been approved in 18 states by the voters. Our proposed constitutional amendment, which is attached, would not prejudge the projects or the revenue sources. Those would be developed by the governor and the legislature, after our constitutional amendment has been passed and ratified. Specific transportation packages would be adopted by the legislature and presented to the voters for approval. Our amendment would

simply give the governor and the legislature the authority to present a plan to the voters (the amendment is needed because the constitution currently does not allow such referendums). It also includes a provision assuring that the funds raised in such a referendum are used only for the purposes approved by the legislature and the voters. Attached is Jim's op-ed in the Baltimore Sun discussing the concept in more detail. Our "End the Gridlock" constitutional amendment would itself need to be passed by the legislature and approved by the voters. That could be done whenever the legislature agrees to it. But to get it on the ballot in fall 2012, it would need to be passed by the legislature in a second special session which may be called to deal with gambling. A second special session this year should fight gridlock, not just expand gambling. We see no reason to wait until to 2013. Regardless of whether the legislature raises revenue for a transportation plan without a referendum (Maryland's traditional approach) or the governor and the legislature choose to take a transportation program to the voters, adopting our "End the Gridlock" constitutional amendment will give the state another practical option to reduce congestion. Maryland has America's best schools. We shouldn't have America's worst traffic. It's time to end the gridlock, in politics as well as on the roads. We welcome your reactions and invite you to work with us to bring this proposal to the voters this year. Please let us know if you have questions or would like to discuss our idea. Jim can be reached at cell 202-271-5545 and Brians cell is 301-792-0131. Jims office number is 410-841-3141 and Brians is 410-841-3186. Best wishes,

Jim Rosapepe Senator

Brian J. Feldman Delegate