Before passing a gas tax, lawmakers must protect the Transportation Trust Fund

Gov.Martin O'Malley's proposed 6 percent sales tax in addition to the state's current 23.5-cent tax per gallon will make it harder for me to balance my budget. For the past 10 years I have averaged 16,144 miles a year, and I try to budget my expenses for each year since I am real estate agent and I drive a lot. I like driving buyers around to see as many houses as they like until they find the one they want.

If the tax was just a flat increase of 15 cents per gallon, my cost of gas would increase by only $121 per year. I could budget for an increase that size and grudgingly absorb it. Applying a 6 percent sales tax wouldn't be as easy to budget because the price of gas fluctuates.

Moreover, I don't trust our state government because officials always seem to treat the Transportation Trust Fund as a rainy day fund — and it is always raining!

House Speaker Mike Busch says that lawmakers will pass a budget first and then work on other initiatives. Talk is cheap.

I propose that lawmakers first pass a measure to build a firewall around the Transportation Trust Fund, and only then increase the gas tax. The amendment should be easy to write and pass since this state government is completely controlled by the Democrats and the legislature is veto-proof. Firewall first and then tax, not the other way around.

Connie Sparrow, Annapolis