COLUMNS OPINION Brian Griffiths: Despite defeat of sales tax expansion, Democrats in Annapolis still want a way into your wallet

No bill in Annapolis this year generated as much attention as House Bill 1628.

The bill from House Majority Leader Eric Luedtke proposed the largest tax increase in Maryland state history. A 1 percent decrease in the sales tax was coupled with an enormous expansion of the sales tax to more than 80 services not already covered by the sales tax. The bill was expected to generate more than $2.9 billion in income.

Luedtke’s radical tax hike made Gov. Martin O’Malley and his run of 40 consecutive tax hikes look like amateur hour

But in an unusual display of bipartisan cooperation on tax policy, the bill was unanimously defeated in a House Ways and Means subcommittee late Wednesday night.

More