Full House votes down 'heat and eat'
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Feb 23, 2006 Posted by Bill Luckett
You've got to give Rep. Ann Robinson credit for trying. Thursday, the Casper Democrat resorted to a rarely-if-ever used procedural maneuver to revive House Bill 117, the "heat and eat" bill that would remove the sales tax from groceries and home utility bills. After the House Revenue Committee voted 5-4 against sending the bill forward to the full House, Rep. Robinson asked the full House to trump the committee's recommendation and bring the bill back to life. And it almost worked - "almost" being the key word. The House voted 33-25 against reviving the bill. All 14 House Democrats voted to bring the bill back, but they were joined by just 11 of the 46 House Republicans. Two Republicans were excused from the vote. Because of the two excused absences, The bill needed 31 votes to make it onto the floor of the full House, but sadly, it fell six votes short.
Rep. Robinson said she is not about to give up on the idea. "We need to keep the issue before the Legislature as often as we can, because the public wants it. We're doing the work of the people, and we're not through." She said young people and working families would particularly benefit from sales tax exemptions on food and utility bills.
To that end, she said she will try to work on a budget amendment that would have the same effect as House Bill 117. The difference is that the effects of the measure would last for only two years if Rep. Robinson can get it in the budget bill. Again, stay tuned.
Opponents of the "heat and eat" bill have touted the other forms of tax relief and other assistance still under consideration. One measure, House Bill 55, would allow low-income people to apply for sales tax relief and utility bill relief that could amount to $335 a year for two years, according to the chief sponsor, Rep. Rodney "Pete" Anderson, R-Pine Bluffs. House Bill 123 expands the tax assistance program for the elderly and disabled, while House Bill 124 adds $3 million to the Low Income Energy Assistance Program to help people winterize their homes. The main difference between these bills and the "heat and eat" bill is that people would have to fill out application forms to get the relief that these bills offer. The "heat and eat" bill would provide automatic tax relief to people without making them apply for it and meet various eligibility requirements.
House Bills 55, 123 and 124 are scheduled on General File in the House tomorrow (Friday). Tomorrow is the last day for bills on General File to get heard in the chambers where they were first introduced, so any bills that don't come up for debate tomorrow are officially dead.
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Re: Full House votes down 'heat and eat'
Feb 23, 2006 | C Nunley | cnunle@hotmail.comThanks Bill; Not only would Wy. citizens not have to "ask" for relief, ALL Wy. citizens would benefit! Cindy