RICHMOND — About 20 House Republicans, in spite of their party leadership’s antitax stance, are proposing to raise the sales tax by one-half cent, a move conservative Republicans and allied groups say will cost those lawmakers at the polls next year.
Delegate Robert “Bobby” Orrock, Caroline County Republican, will propose two bills: one that would raise the sales tax by one-half cent from 4.5 cents to 5 cents on the dollar, and another that would raise the cigarette tax from 2.5 cents per pack to 15 cents per pack.
Mr. Orrock said even though he is in principle against sales tax increases, the money raised — about $800 million for the two-year budget — would go directly to education, and could forge a compromise that will end the budget stalemate.
“The position I’ve offered is not draconian,” Mr. Orrock said yesterday.
Mr. Orrock is one of the House Republicans who support a half-cent increase in the sales tax. Other delegates include L. Preston Bryant of Amherst County, Glenn Oder of Newport News, Harry R. Purkey of Virginia Beach, Riley E. Ingram of Chesterfield County, and Harry J. Parrish of Prince William County.
Delegate Phillip A. Hamilton, Newport News Republican and a budget negotiator, will propose a bill that would allow local governments to raise the sales tax by one-half cent. Mr. Bryant also will propose a bill that would raise revenue.
The House Finance Committee is expected to hear the bills today.
House Speaker William J. Howell, a Stafford County Republican who opposes general tax increases, has urged the committee members to pass the bills so the full House can vote on them.
“I will urge every member of the House to vote his or her conscience when the issue is before the full House,” he said.
Mr. Orrock, a committee member, said yesterday he believes there will be enough votes in the committee to pass the bills, or one bill that combines all tax increase proposals.
A combination bill likely would propose increasing the cigarette tax, raising the sales tax to 5 percent and eliminating the grocery tax. It also would increase fees on rental cars and on alcohol sold at state-run stores.
Critics said yesterday that Republican delegates who support a tax increase will pay at the polls next year.
“They certainly can’t go to the voters and say they are antitax,” said former Virginia Gov. James S. Gilmore III, a Republican. “I am not in favor of the increase. It means more money will come out of Virginia families’ pockets to pay for the essentials of life.”
Paul Jost, chairman of the Virginia Club for Growth, a group that opposes tax increases, agreed: “There will definitely be fallout. We will challenge as many of these delegates as we can. There are people in many of these districts who are really frustrated with these guys.”
James Parmelee, president of Republicans United for Tax Relief, said support for a tax increase is “insulting” to voters in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads who in 2002 rejected a transportation referendum that would have raised their sales tax to fund regional projects.
Delegate John A. Rollison, Prince William County Republican who campaigned in favor of the referendum, lost his seat to a more conservative Republican in last year’s primary.
“It is a complete betrayal of the campaign promises of the Republican caucus,” Mr. Parmelee said.
The half-cent sales tax increase plan could pass the House with a simple majority now that more Republicans will vote with the 37 Democrats for the proposal. There are two independents in the House, but they generally vote along Republican lines.
It could not be determined yesterday whether the Senate or Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, would support the half-cent tax increase plan. Both are pushing for a one-cent sales tax increase.
A half-cent sales tax increase would raise about $400 million a year, while a one-cent increase would raise twice that.
Warner spokeswoman Ellen Qualls said the governor is more optimistic that an agreement will be reached. .
The House meets today. The Senate meets tomorrow.
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