Republican state senators question proposed tax cuts
The Senate Finance Committee’s first real budget hearing of the legislative session kicked off on Monday with Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, suggesting the $4 billion worth of tax cuts proposed last week by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Committee Chairwoman Jane Nelson may not be feasible given all the pressing costs facing the state — including the possible cost of an impending court ruling on school finance.
Eltife, one of 15 members of the budget-writing panel, said he “of course” supports tax cuts but “can’t vote for tax cuts until I know this budget” covers all those needs, including state employee pensions, transportation and water infrastructure.
“It’s hard for me to support removing $4 billion from this state’s revenue stream until we know we can meet the needs of the state,” said Eltife, who asked if state budget staff could prepare projections for how tax cuts and ending a diversion of $1.2 billion worth of road funding would affect state coffers in the long-term.
Nelson, who all but guaranteed tax cuts last week, said “I absolutely agree with that.”
Read more: http://politics.blog.statesman.com/2015/02/02/republican-senator-questions-feasibility-of-proposed-tax-cuts/
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