Governor's campaign promise caught in turf war

Gov. Sonny Perdue is eager to make good on a campaign pledge to phase out income tax for seniors. But his plan failed to gain traction in the Georgia House, where tax bills must be introduced.

It had seemed a lost cause until today. The Senate voted to amend another tax bill with Perdue's language. It would expand the current retirement income tax break to on retirement income to include wealthy seniors.

A study by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute says 96 percent of the tax cut would go to seniors who earn more than $100,000. If the measure becomes law, it would begin in 2009.

But the measure must return to the House for a final vote, where its prospects are no brighter that before. Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) says he won't allow representatives to consider any tax measures that originate in the Senate.
"Revenue bills start in the House," says Richardson. "If they want to introduce revenue bills, they can run for the House."

Richardson has said that he wants to consider comprehensive tax reform after the session ends. He has been at odds with Senate leaders over tax and budgetary issues throughout this session. Each chamber claims it is more fiscally conservative than the other.