Beware politicians offering gasoline tax breaks

Last Wednesday, voters in Maryland were treated to a double-feature presentation in political pandering. First there was President Joe Biden’s proposal to suspend the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for three months along with a suggestion that governors to do the same. And then there was Gov. Larry Hogan’s nearly simultaneous call on both the state legislature and the state comptroller to suspend Maryland’s motor fuel tax by July 4, the former requiring the General Assembly to meet in special session, the latter for Comptroller Peter Franchot to discover a legal authority that he does not seem to possess.