After less than 90 minutes of debate in a planned Republican filibuster, the Maryland Senate voted at noon on Friday to limit debate to only two more hours on a $1.5 billion package of tax hikes, including $1 billion in higher sales taxes and more services.
At the same time, the House Ways and Means Committee was taking up its own revamped version of Gov. Martin O?Malley?s deficit-busting tax increases. A Ways and Means subcommittee recommended eliminating some of the new taxes on computer services the Senate had tacked on, but suggested adding the sales tax to car repairs, roadside services and parking, in addition to doubling the tax on hotel rooms.
In the Senate, the vote to limit debate was 29 to 18, the bare minimum required by the rules. Four Democrats from the Baltimore area joined the 14 Republicans in voting not stop the talking in what was called the crucial vote on the tax package.
“The successful cloture vote is the vote on the entire tax package,” said Senate Republican Leader David Brinkley, Frederick-Carroll, as he kicked off the very truncated filibuster.
With the limitation on debate, the Senate is expected to finish its work on its amended version of the governor?s plan by this Friday afternoon. A Senate committee stripped it of much of its tax relief for lower income Marylanders.
The Democratic senators who voted not to shut off debate were: James Brochin, Kathy Klausmeier, and Norman Stone, all of Baltimore County; and George Della from the city.
Staff writer Jaime Malarkey contributed to this story. [email protected]
