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Tax Plan Faces Important Vote Today

By Tony McVeigh

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-820075.mp3

Frankfort, KY – The revenue bill, which cleared the House budget committee 19-9, increases the cigarette tax by 30-cents and puts a six-percent retail tax on alcoholic beverages. The measure needs 60 votes to clear the House. Does Speaker Greg Stumbo have that many? "Well, we'd like to have 60 Democrats and probably 12 to 15 Republicans. But you can't get that?' Well, we don't know yet. That's what we'd like."

Democrats control the House 65-35. Minority Leader Jeffrey Hoover says he will vote for the bill, and says he won't be alone among Republicans. The measure is the result of closed-door negotiations between House and Senate leaders, in the ongoing effort to fill an almost half-billion dollar hole in the state budget.