Budget lockdown

The House Finance Committee today may have locked down much of the tax package within the $20 billion budget proposal that could be up for vote later this week.

Along party lines, the committee approved a budget bill with a title that specifically refers to extending temporary tax increases that were scheduled to expire this year as well several lesser tax breaks, Dan Kane reports.

Under the House rules, the titles of bills can not be amended on the floor, so lawmakers are left with voting up or down on the tax extensions and tax breaks.

"Why in the world do you want to tie this thing up so tight that we can't really do anything," said House Minority Leader Paul Stam, an Apex Republican.

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Rep. Bill Daughtridge, a Rocky Mount Republican, sought to alter an earned income tax credit for low income earners that is also in the budget proposal. His amendment was narrowly defeated, then the title was amended so that the tax credit couldn't be touched.

"I think this is absolutely pathetic," Daughtridge said.

Finance chairmen defended the moves. Rep. Pryor Gibson, an Anson County Democrat, said it protects the Finance Committee's actions from "the beasts in Appropriations."

That committee is expected to take up the bill on Wednesday, but under the House budget rules, it will only address the spending side of the equation, just as Finance Committee members could only take up tax and fee matters.