News & Observer | newsobserver.com | House approves meals tax referendum

Published: Jul 08, 2008 06:11 PM
Modified: Jul 08, 2008 06:12 PM

House approves meals tax referendum

 

Story Tools

Advertisements
Legislation that would create a referendum on a meals tax for Durham County voters squeaked through the House today.

After the 60-59 vote, Rep. Wil Neumann, a Gaston County Republican, said that he voted incorrectly in favor and wanted his vote changed. Speaker Joe Hackney denied the request, saying it wasn't allowed because it would affect the outcome.

Neumann then asked to have the vote taken again, which the rules allow when the request comes from someone on the prevailing side. But before the vote could be taken, Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat and a bill sponsor, urged his colleagues to support the legislation, reminding them that it only gives Durham residents the right to consider the tax. He then made a motion to kill Newmann's request. It passed by a 62-56 vote.

The legislation now goes to the Senate.

If a referendum becomes law, Durham County residents could vote to add a one percent sales tax on restaurant meals in the county. The legislation states that 80 percent of the proceeds would go toward civic and cultural amenities, 10 percent for marketing, five percent for workforce training and five percent for community clean up.

All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.
No comments have been posted for this story. Log in to be the first to comment.


The News & Observer is pleased to be able to offer its users the opportunity to make comments and hold conversations online. However, the interactive nature of the internet makes it impracticable for our staff to monitor each and every posting.

Since The News & Observer does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted on our website. In addition, we remind anyone interested in making an online comment that responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The News and Observer.

If you find a comment offensive, clicking on the exclamation icon will flag the comment for review by the administrators, we are counting on the good judgment of all our readers to help us.

Hosting Partners of
newsobserver.com

A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company