BREAKING NEWS: Senate passes tax package - More hikes to come.
Posted by Scott "The Piper" St. Clair - March 07, 2010
Just moments ago, the Washington State Senate passed Enrolled Senate Substitute Bill 6143, a 22-part tax increase package that includes a bump in the state-wide sales tax.
On a vote of 25 in favor and 23 opposed with one excused, the Senate capped a long, sometimes rancorous debate that saw Republicans seek to forestall the inevitable with parliamentary tactics.
Generally, Democrats said raising taxes was necessary to keep schools open and social services for the poor, children and the elderly funded. Republicans countered with reminders that overall state spending has increased nearly $1.8 billion over the preceding biennium and that increases in existing programs and funding for new programs are receiving support from the majority Democrats.
Sen. Linda Parlette, R-Wenatchee, said that the Legislature should be focused on jobs and the economy and getting spending under control.
Sen. Paull Shin, D-Mukilteo, said that he regarded all Washingtonians as "family." He supported the tax package.
When Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, the constitutional president of the Senate, called for a final vote, Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, brought the body to a temporary standstill by moving to force a vote on each of the 22 tax increases in the bill. After a lengthy delay to consider Benton's motion, Owen ruled it out of order saying that to do so would be too confusing to voters, among other things.
A similar motion to lay the bill on the table - in essence to walk away from it - was also defeated.
Immediately after the final vote, Democrats went into caucus. It is expected that an additional tax-hike measure - to boost cigarette taxes in order to fund the state's Basic Health Plan - will be taken up later Sunday evening.
UPDATE: Here is the roll call on 6143:
| |
| Revenue & taxation T.O. |
| Senate vote on 3rd Reading & Final Passage |
| 3/7/2010 |
|
| Yeas: 25 Nays: 23 Absent: 0 Excused: 1 |
Voting Yea: Senators Berkey, Brown, Eide, Fairley, Franklin, Fraser, Gordon, Hargrove, Hatfield, Haugen, Jacobsen, Kastama, Keiser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, McAuliffe, McDermott, Murray, Oemig, Prentice, Pridemore, Ranker, Regala, Rockefeller, and Shin
Voting Nay: Senators Becker, Benton, Brandland, Carrell, Delvin, Hewitt, Hobbs, Holmquist, Honeyford, Kauffman, Kilmer, King, Marr, Morton, Parlette, Pflug, Roach, Schoesler, Sheldon, Stevens, Swecker, Tom, and Zarelli
Absent:
Excused: Senator McCaslin
Add Comment -
Aggie Clark said on Mar 07 2010 at 4:38pm
It's too confusing to vote for each tax hike individually, but it's not too confusing to vote for them all at the same time? What am I missing here?
Dann Garber said on Mar 07 2010 at 4:51pm
We have just got to throw these people out of office.
another ciggerette tax hike???
have these people lost thier minds?
Steven said on Mar 07 2010 at 4:55pm
They have no shame! Let's tax people so they can't clime out of the hole they are already in. Push back! Get involved!
NWconservative said on Mar 07 2010 at 5:08pm
Splendid....we all to be proud -- of the idiots we elect.
26th Dist. Voter said on Mar 07 2010 at 8:24pm
I see that they let Kilmer take the nay vote again. I really hope that we can get some more Republicans in there so that his true colors can be forced out of him. He's a progressive to the core.
