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Home / Hawaii Democrats Confident of Prevailing on Tax IncreasesHawaii Democrats Confident of Prevailing on Tax Increases
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 April 2009 03:39 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 23 April 2009 03:39
From the Star Bulletin:
For more than a week, Lingle has said she would reject bills to increase the hotel room tax and state income tax, but yesterday Democrats in the House and Senate voted to raise taxes anyway.
The bills were met with GOP opposition in the House and Senate, but by early afternoon the Legislature was speeding to Lingle bills to raise the income tax, the cigarette tax, and real estate sales and hotel room taxes.
Democrats like Senate Vice President Russell Kokubun (D, Hilo-Naalehu) called taxes “a necessary evil” and defended the proposed increases.
House Speaker Calvin Say predicted the Legislature has the needed two-thirds’ majority required to override any vetoes.