PhotoFRANKFORT, Ky. — With the chants of hundreds of teachers ringing in their ears, Kentucky lawmakers voted on Friday to override the Republican governor’s veto of a two-year state budget that increases public education spending with the help of a more than $480 million tax increase. The two-year state operating budget includes record new spending for public education, fueled by a 50-cent increase in the cigarette tax and a 6 percent sales tax on some services, including home and auto repairs. The veto put Republican lawmakers in a tough position by asking them to vote a second time on a tax increase in an election year. But 57 House Republicans, later joined by just enough Senate Republicans, voted to override. Advertisement Continue reading the main story“We have to have this revenue to fund our schools,” said Representative Regina Huff, a Republican and middle school special education teacher.

Source: New York Times April 14, 2018 00:33 UTC