House panel may pass budget without knowing source of new revenue

This afternoon Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee are expected to approve a supplemental operating budget. It is likely they will be acting without knowing how $857 million in revenue they are counting on to balance the budget plan will be raised.

Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, chairman of the House Finance Committee, is writing the tax package but had not released it as of noon today.

It is a concern to some. The House budget panel held a three-hour public hearing on the proposed budget Tuesday evening and 129 people shared their views on its contents.

When it was over, Rep. Gary Alexander, the ranking Republican on the committee, wondered if the executive session might be delayed until the revenue-raising bill comes out.

Essentially, he said, it'd be good to know both the ways and the means behind the budget proposal before they voted.

Apparently, that won't be happening. The House Ways (without Means) Committee is set to meet at 3:30 p.m.