Latest news with #HouseBill305
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill sets rules on sales tax hike
GUILFORD COUNTY — State Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham and Senate president pro tem, is pushing a bill through the N.C. General Assembly to set guidelines on how revenue from a quarter-cent sales tax increase could be spent if the referendum is approved by Guilford County voters in the November 2026 general election. Berger, whose district includes parts of Guilford County, said Thursday that the Senate approved an amended version of House Bill 305 that addresses the referendum issue. During its meeting June 18, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to yet again place the measure before county voters. Voters have rejected the quarter-cent sales tax increase six times in the past 20 years, most recently in the November 2024 general election. While the commissioners have said they want to use the additional revenue to support education, existing law doesn't restrict the use of funds collected for education or any particular purpose, Berger said in a statement. House Bill 305 would specify funds collected through a quarter-cent sales tax increase can only be used for classroom teacher salary supplements, fire protection equipment and services, Guilford Technical Community College and a small amount for municipalities, Berger said. A quarter-cent sales tax increase is expected to generate $25 million annually. 'Voters going to the polls in November 2026 need to know exactly what they're being asked to vote on,' Berger said. 'House Bill 305 now provides them with information so they can make an educated decision. I believe putting strict guardrails on the revenue collected gives taxpayers relevant information and guarantees the funds will be used as promised.' Democratic Guilford County Board of Commissioners Chairman Skip Alston said that he welcomes Berger's initiative. Having the quarter-cent sales increase revenue specified for certain uses will reassure voters and make them more likely to cast a ballot for the referendum, Alston told The High Point Enterprise. House Bill 305 now goes back to the House for a concurrence approval vote. Since the legislation is a local bill, it isn't subject to veto oversight by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida GOP pushes for government efficiency with DOGE-inspired legislation
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, has stirred up controversy as it searches for wasteful federal spending. Now, Florida GOP lawmakers are planning a similar initiative. Republicans at the statehouse are taking a page out of DOGE's book, aiming to reduce state agency regulations and bolster Florida's business climate. However, Democrats remain cautious in the face of these efforts to streamline government. Florida Democrats file bill to repeal 6-week abortion ban 'I ran for office to work on policy that was less government, less regulation and more for free enterprise. Reducing regulation and reducing bureaucracy is one of the reasons why I came to Tallahassee,' said State Representative Tiffany Esposito (R-Fort Myers). Representative Esposito and Senator Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) introduced legislation that grants more power to the legislature in rulemaking while reducing unchecked government overreach. In an interview with 8 On Your Side, Esposito shared her perspective from her day job as the President and CEO of Southwest Florida Incorporated. She emphasized the importance of listening to the needs of Florida businesses.'Through my conversations with small businesses and through my work within my community, we consistently hear that businesses need predictability, businesses need to understand what the regulations are. Time is money. The more regulations that we put on businesses and that we put on Floridians, the more expensive it becomes,' Esposito said. House Bill 305 is broken down into three main components: a cost-benefit analysis for new regulations, a mandatory eight-year expiration date for outdated rules, and expanded legislative oversight on agency rule making. Across the aisle, Democrats say they are on board with providing more transparency and accountability but argue that a bill isn't going to fix this issue.'We don't need a bill, we just need action,' said State Representative Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando). 'One element that always frustrates me is a lot of discussion on accountability and yet we have in front of us, clear examples or systems are broken, and nothing's done about.' Representative Eskamani added that as the state continues to mirror the work that's being done on the national level, she takes concern with the inspiration behind the bill.'It's not from Elon Musk. It's from a right-wing think tank funded by billionaires. And its intention could have real harm, as we've seen with DOGE,' Eskamani said.'The American people have spoken, and we have seen from the national level on down that we need less bureaucracy, less red tape and more opportunity for Americans to thrive, and this bill will allow for that,' said Rep. Esposito. The bill was heard in the Administrative Procedure Committee on Monday and, if passed, would become effective July 1, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
