GOV. MAURA HEALEY wants to give cities and towns the ability to levy a new surcharge atop the motor vehicle excise tax and bypass Beacon Hill on issuing liquor licenses. Healey unveiled the proposals – part of a larger package that also includes upticks in hotel and meals taxes – to municipal leaders in Boston for a convention Friday.

Municipalities currently tax motor vehicles by using a formula based on the vehicle’s valuation, which depreciates with age. Healey is proposing that they can opt into an additional 5 percent surcharge atop the excise tax bill.

The surcharge, part of new legislation, is aimed at helping smaller towns that don’t see sales and meals tax revenue from hotels and restaurants.

The legislation will also increase the maximum local option lodging tax on hotels, motels, and other rentals to 7 percent from 6 percent of the price of a room. For Boston, that would go up to 7.5 percent from 6.5 percent.

The maximum local option meals tax would rise to 1 percent from .75 percent of the sales price of a meal at a restaurant or local store.

Local governments could also set their own liquor license quotas, and skip the home rule petition process, which requires cities and towns to receive sign-off from the Legislature. The proposal is likely to run into resistance from lawmakers who are loath to give up the power to okay liquor licenses. Past governors have proposed similar measures with no success.

The bill also would make permanent several pandemic-era policies, such as easier permitting for outdoor dining and to-go liquor sales. Public meetings that would be a hybrid of online and in-person would also be allowed.

“It doesn’t affect the state budget or state revenue, this is all about empowering local communities,” Healey said of the vehicle surcharge.

“This is something we heard loud and clear is a meaningful way to provide resources that are necessary at the local level, with local discretion,” added Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, who joined Healey at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. “They get to determine how it gets spent. Certainly roads will be a part of that, I’m sure.”

The Massachusetts GOP said the proposals are tax hikes that will hurt the restaurant and hospitality sectors and punish residents who have cars.

“It’s not fair to further burden residents when the cost of living is already too expensive. Legislators must stand up for their residents and oppose this unfair and unnecessary burden,” Amy Carnevale, chair of the state GOP, said in a statement.

The Healey administration plans to file the bill, called the “Municipal Empowerment Act,” with the Legislature on Monday, days before Healey files her state budget proposal for fiscal year 2025.

The legislation will also include new property tax exemptions for seniors, a new commission focused on unfunded liabilities from non-pension employee benefits, and regional boards of assessors.

At the Hynes Convention Center, Healey and Driscoll appeared on the stage together and took turns speaking to the crowd of municipal officials.

“We’re going to do some Thelma and Louise work up here,” Driscoll quipped, bringing up the R-rated adventure comedy focused on female friendship and released in 1991.

“We’re not going over a cliff,” Healey broke in, referring to the movie’s memorable ending. (Spoiler alert.)

“All right, maybe we’ll do more like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler,” Driscoll said, in a nod to another iconic Hollywood duo.

This story has been updated.