One of the underreported stories from Thursday night/Friday morning’s General Assembly budget session is how House Minor Leader Brian Newberry attempted to prevent the new tax on dog grooming and taxi rides.
Any time a legislator wants to amend the budget in a way the removes taxes (income), the budget becomes unbalanced unless they can offer up a solution. So how did Newberry expect to offset the lost revenue from eliminating the taxi and dog grooming tax?
From the On Politics blog by Ian Donnis:

Newberry said the lawmakers could make up the same amount by cutting into the $2.3 million budget for legislative grants. His amendment to make that change — like scores of others opposed by leadership — was soundly defeated.

Right. Don’t you dare touch that sacred cow also known as the legislative grants fund. Oh sure, the Democrats will tell you they care about the working man and small business but if you force them to put their money where their mouth is, nope, they won’t go there.
Here’s an alternative for Newberry then. They all know how much they expect to receive in the new tax. In spite of a pledge to never request any legislative grants, make an exception this time. Request a grant and use it to pay back the tax paid by these small businesses. Let the leadership look them in the eye a third time and say “No, suckers!”
Gotta love that legislative grant money. Just don’t call it a slush fund.