N.C. Democratic lawmakers agree to tax increases

Posted to: News North Carolina
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The Associated Press
© July 22, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C.

House and Senate Democrats in North Carolina have signed off on a plan that would raise nearly $1 billion in taxes and help them reach an agreement on the state budget very soon.

House Speaker Joe Hackney said Wednesday fellow Democrats in his chamber are ready to support the deal reached with Senate counterparts. Democrats in both chambers held separate caucus meetings to discuss the $982 million plan.

The deal would raise the sales tax rate by a penny, add an extra 2 percent onto income tax bills and increase the cost of a pack of cigarettes by 10 cents. Alcohol taxes also would go up.

Hackney said a family making between $30,000 to $60,000 would see their tax bill go up by $66 a year under the deal.

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There are no hard decisions

Submitted by Lindsey59 on Thu, 07/23/2009 at 4:02 am.

There are no hard decisions for our representatives so this is not a surprise. When we have a budget shortage just increase taxes. When they want a new program just increase taxes to pay for it. When they want more play money just push thru a lottery and disguise it as money for education and later you can snatch it away to be used for something else.

What does surprise me are the people who coninute to vote for the same old, same old year after year.