House rejects oil tax
House Democrats, with the help of some Republicans, turned down the Senate version of the oil tax rewrite this afternoon after nearly an hour of arguments. The tax bill failed 20-19, falling one vote short of approval.
House Democrats also threw a wrench in the spokes of the proposed gas pipeline contract by blocking an amendment that would have given the administration additional time to revise the contract and complete a fiscal interest finding. The administration will have only 30 days from the end of the public comment period July 24, instead of the 120 days proposed in the amendment to the stranded gas act.
While the House effectively killed the amendment, the oil tax rewrite could yet be resurrected.
The House has adjourned till 8 p.m.
News-Miner reporters Stefan Milkowski and Eric Lidji bring you up-to-date info about the governor's oil tax and
the gas line plans as well as tossing in some tidbits that have nowhere else to go.
September 25th, 2006 at 6:35 pm
I feel better with our experience governor being he’s been all over and knows the facts of what we should do. I agree with him.