Virginia Senate Republicans told the reporters Tuesday that citizens may face higher taxes if Democrats in the majority get their way.
“When we look at some of the bills coming down the pike is going to increase cost on Virginians, not put money back,” Senator Ryan McDougle, the Virginia Senate Minority Leader, lamented Tuesday.
He was concerned with the deaths of several of his party’s tax cut priorities as the current legislative session moves into the end of its first month.
Killing No taxes on tips and maintaining the car tax spells certain financial doom for Virginians according to Stafford Senator Tara Durrant.
Here’s Durrant armed with recent polling that suggested a majority of Virginians quote “hate the car tax.”
“Virginians, we know they are overtaxed, and we’re hearing over 75 percent of Virginians want this gone," Durrant said. "This is the answer.”
Durrant’s effort was passed by indefinitely early Tuesday, likely killing it for the year.
A House version of the No-tax-on tips effort was also nixed Monday, but Rockingham County Senator Mark Obenshain said he still hoped McDougle’s Senate version of the bill could survive and benefit both workers and businesses.
“This is the functional equivalent of a pay increase and it's going to help them to hire them and to retain them,” Obenshain told reporters.
Still, Democrats did approve at least one tax break so far this year: a $300 family tax credit sponsored by Democratic Delegate Kathy Tran. That would cost the state about $400,000 in lost tax revenue in the first year. No tax on tips would cost about $70 million a year.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.