Tax Increases Fail Senate Committe, Then Passed
From the Herald-Leader, the tax increase failed the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee, then Sen. Elizabeth Tori (Hardin 11, 2008 rank #3) pulled the old "I'm not for it but I'll vote for it to keep it moving," which always bothers me. The article:
Tax increases squeak out of Senate budget committee
FRANKFORT -- The Senate budget committee narrowly approved a bill Thursday that would raise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol to help address a projected $456 million budget shortfall.
The committee voted 9-7 to send House Bill 144 to the full Senate after hearing from Gov. Steve Beshear, who said he fully supports the bill, and alcohol industry officials, who oppose the measure.
The initial vote was 8-8, which would have killed the proposal. But Sen. Elizabeth Tori, R-Radcliff, changed her vote to keep the bill moving.
The measure would generate about $180 million in a full year, but lawmakers expect to collect only $52 million in the remainder of this fiscal year, which ends June 30. The state's 6 percent sales tax would be added to packaged wine, liquor and beer while the tax on all tobacco products would double.
