As the legislature continues to examine the Governor's proposed biennial budget, Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem) says he will fight any attempts to include tax hikes. Huebsch says Republicans will pass a budget in the Assembly that does not include any tax hikes.
Those include a proposed $1.25 a pack increase in cigarette taxes from the Governor, to cover smoking prevention and cessation programs. The West Salem Republican says the state can find other ways to fund those. Huebsch says the state should look at the funding already provided by taxpayers to cover the cost of those programs, if they remain a priority.
Despite his opposition to new taxes, Huebsch says there's no finalized policy on fee increases proposed in the Governor's budget. He says Republicans will review each of those individually to determine if they're appropriate.
Huebsch hopes to have a budget package ready for the legislature to consider sometime in May.
