CHARLESTON, W.Va. – House Finance Committee Chairman Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha, issued the following statement after the House voted 92-2 to table consideration of House Bill 2704, which would have reduced the state’s consumer sales tax while removing exemptions for some types of professional services: “While the proposal carried bipartisan support in the Finance Committee, as floor debate progressed today and procedural motions indicated that members on both sides of the aisle had concerns, the Republican leadership decided it was advisable to table the bill. “After the Finance Committee amended the bill to provide a greater cut in our overall sales tax rate for the citizens of our state, it became apparent that those who had previously voiced support for this type of plan were backing off on that support. “With a deadline to get all House bills passed by Wednesday, and the likelihood that there would be extensive debate on amendments and the overall plan, House leadership decided to table this proposal at this time. “It is our hope that we can continue to push for reforms to our tax code that emphasize fairness, eliminate special treatment for select industries and businesses and, as a result, serve to lower the overall tax burden borne by our citizens. “While the choices we face to balance our budget may be tougher now, we remain committed to fulfilling our constitutional duty of passing a balanced budget before we adjourn the session.”
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