Democrats in the Washington state House are moving ahead with a tax plan valued at $900 million over the next two years.
The House narrowly approved a variety of tax changes Wednesday, including the permanent extension of business taxes to raise more than half a billion dollars. The plan would also repeal tax breaks for travel agents, bottled water and fuel.
Democratic Rep. Ross Hunter says lawmakers chose to make the tax changes in order to properly fund public education, foster care and early learning opportunities for at-risk kids. Republicans argued that the taxes would hurt the state's economic recovery.
The House is now engaged in budget negotiations with the Senate, which approved a budget without the tax changes.