This morning the Carolina Journal reported that the Senate passed a tax reform proposal in the finance committee.  The finance committee chair did not support the changes to the tax plan, so Senate Leader, Phil Berger, had to step in and support the bill for the committee.  Senator Bob Rucho (R-Mecklenburg) was the author of the Senate’s tax reform plan that has gotten much heated debate from both sides of the aisle.  Unwilling to compromise on his tax plan, the House’s tax package has moved forward and seems to be the one legislators are supporting.

Rucho said H.B. 998 is not the sweeping tax reform the state requires.

“Nibbling around the edges doesn’t work,” Rucho said. “We need a comprehensive tax reform package. … I cannot support this bill, and I will not vote for this bill.”

Today, news hits that the 14+ year Senator has resigned his post as Finance Committee Chair.  The General Assembly has not updated their committee assignments yet, but Co-Chairman, Senator Bill Rabon will likely stay chairman and one of the two vice chairman (Senator David Curtis and Senator Ronald Rabin) will be moved into the Co-Chairman position.  Senator Rucho was put in a position of extreme power as the Co-Chairman of the Redistricting Committee last year, and his other Chair position being Finance.  These two positions allowed him the power to be one of the more influential leaders in the state – not anymore.

RALEIGH, N.C. — A chief architect of a North Carolina tax overhaul plan that’s been rejected by other Senate Republicans and Gov. Pat McCrory says he’s resigned as co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Sen. Bob Rucho of Mecklenburg County wrote Thursday to Senate leader Phil Berger saying he had submitted his resignation as chairman effective earlier this week.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter, in which Rucho says he and Berger have a “fundamental disagreement” on the most effective model of tax reform and how to manage the legislation.

Rucho co-authored a plan that would greatly expand the services subject to the sales tax while lowering income and corporate tax rates.

But McCrory said he preferred a plan by House Republicans, and Berger offered an alternative to Rucho’s plan.