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Defiant Republicans Could Break Va. Impasse
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| Contributor | ArmyDem |
| Last Edited | ArmyDem Apr 02, 2004 12:32am |
| Category | News |
| News Date | Apr 02, 2004 12:00am |
| Description | Delegates Signal Willingness to Flout Leaders, Join Democrats on Tax Rise
By Michael D. Shear and Jo Becker
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, April 2, 2004; Page A01
RICHMOND, April 1 -- More than a dozen House Republicans are defying their anti-tax leadership by signaling support for a compromise package of tax increases, opening the door for a resolution to the Virginia legislature's budget deadlock.
The GOP lawmakers, many of whom have opposed broad-based tax increases for weeks, said in interviews Thursday that pressure from constituents to pass a budget has moved them to favor a half-cent increase in the sales tax, a modest increase in the cigarette tax and some relief on grocery taxes and income taxes.
The maverick Republicans have not settled on a final proposal. But through phone calls and meetings, they said, they have identified a total of 15 to 20 GOP members willing to support the concept. That number, combined with most of the House's 37 Democrats, may be enough to pass a tax plan through the 100-member House of Delegates that raises close to $1 billion over two years and looks similar to the proposal of Gov. Mark R. Warner (D). |
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