There's more agreeing to disagree, on the state budget. State Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch said Thursday's session of the budget conference committee served to highlight the differences between the two sides. "It is amazing that your desire to tax is so insatiable, that it's not simply the taxation of the earning of money, or the spending of money, you now just want to tax money." Huebsch was referring to a GOP tax break on purchases of gold. Democrats had continually harped on the point, and when Republicans offered a package of tax cuts for their consideration, the gold bullion break was not included. Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson said Democrats had plenty of tax breaks of their own to offer, on things like child care, health insurance and college tuition. Huebsch said Democrats' calls for tax fairness really mean tax hikes: "hold onto your wallet." The conference committee met twice this week without producing any compromise on their budget deadlock.
