Tennessee Senate panel sends income tax ban to floor vote

photo Tennessee Senate Finance Chairman Randy McNally of Oak Ridge, left, and fellow Republican Sen. Bo Watson of Chattanooga participate in a hearing in Nashville on Tuesday on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban a state income tax . The Finance Committee voted 9-1 to advance a proposed constitutional amenkdment to a full Senate floor vote.

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NASHVILLE - The Senate Finance Committee has advanced a proposed constitutional amendment to explicitly ban a state income tax to a full floor vote.

The panel voted 9-1 on Tuesday to advance the measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown that would also ban a state or local payroll tax.

The measure would need to receive two-thirds votes in both chambers of the General Assembly before it could go before the vo ers in 2014.

Opponents argue the measure is unnecessary amid solid opposition to an income tax among Republican lawmakers who already hold supermajorities in both the House and Senate.

The lone vote against the measure came from Democratic Sen. Douglas Henry of Nashville, an income tax opponent who said the measure would tie lawmakers' hands in tough economic times.

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