CSE Raleigh Report: June 14

Monday evening brought the beginning of another busy week at The North Carolina General Assembly. From The State Budget in the House to the withdrawal of HB1661 (Cap Gas Tax Variable Rate), support of increased spending and taxes ruled the day.

On Monday evening, June 7, the House held the second reading of the State Budget (HB1414). Only 20 Representatives voted against the proposal. On Tuesday morning, the House held the second reading with only 18 Representatives voting against the proposal. While the budget does not include a new tax increase, it maintains the increases passed last session while increasing spending. It is the concern of North Carolina Citizens for a Sound Economy that the passage of this budget will significantly increase the likelihood of a tax increase next time. Now the proposal goes to the State Senate. Below I have listed the Representatives who voted against the State Budget. Please take a moment to contact them and thank them for their vote against increased spending.

North Carolina House Members Who Voted Against The State Budget (Second Reading)

Allred, Blackwood, Blust, Capps, Creech, Daughtry, Dockham, Ellis, Gulley, Holmes, Luebke, McHenry, McMahan, Mitchell, Munford, Rhodes, Sexton, Stam, Walend, Wood

North Carolina House Members Who Voted Against The State Budget (Third Reading):

Allred, Blackwood, Blust, Capps, Creech, Daughtry, Dockham, Ellis, Gulley, Holmes, Luebke, McHenry, McMahan, Rayfield, Rhodes, Stam, Walend, Wood

Note: Representative Paul Luebke did not vote against the budget on the basis of CSE principles. We are glad he voted against it nonetheless!

Since I reported to you on the proposals to eliminate or cap our state’s gas tax variable rate, many of you have contacted me to express your interest in efforts to control our price at the pump. It does not appear that the proposal to eliminate the variable rate will be brought up for discussion in committee. However, HB1661 (Cap Gas Tax Variable Rate) was discussed in committee on Thursday. The primary sponsors of the proposal are Representatives Decker and Pate. Co-sponsors are Representatives Frye, Goodwin, Hill, Justice, LaRoque, McGee, McHenry, Moore, Munford, and Warner. Although it at first appeared that HB1661 would pass the committee with a favorable report, after Representatives Hackney and Ross raised questions and concerns, the proposal was withdrawn from the committee calendar. Please contact the committee members and express your support for HB1661 (Cap Gas Tax Variable Rate).

Members of the House Committee on Finance who will decide if HB1661 (Cap Gas Variable Rate) continues to the floor of the House:

Allen, Howard, Luebke, McComas, Miner, Wainwright, Alexander, Daughtridge, Decker, Gibson, Hill, Wood, Blackwood, Bordsen, Capps, Carney, Creech, Ellis, Glazier, Hackney, Holliman, Jones, Lewis, McGee, Munford, Rayfield, Ross, Setzer, Starnes, Weiss, Wilson, Womble.

S1278 is the companion bill in the Senate to cap our gas variable rate. It is sponsored by Senator Berger and co-sponsored by Senators Allran, Apodaca, Bingham, Blake, Brock, Carpenter, Forrester, Foxx, Garwood, Hartsell, Horton, Moore, Pittenger, Sloan, Smith, Stevens, Tillman, Webster, and White. NC CSE will be closely monitoring its progress.

The easiest way to contact State House and Senate members is by calling the General Assembly main number at (919) 733-4111 or e-mailing the members directly by going to the General Assembly website: www.ncga.state.nc.us.