GOP LEADERS CALL FOR TAX CUTS THIS YEAR.

• Author: Campbell, Colin

More tax cuts will likely be on the agenda during this year's legislative session, Senate leader Phil Berger said n his Jan. 11 opening day speech. "We must further reduce taxes," he said, then provided more details to reporters afterward.

Changes in the personal and corporate income tax rates as well as the franchise tax could be in the works.

On the personal income tax rate, "I personally would like to see us get it down below 3%-2.5 has been a number that I have talked about," Berger said. "The corporate rate, we already have it on a glide path to zero; there are some folks that have talked about accelerating that."

Eliminating the franchise tax has been a goal of the N.C. Chamber and other business groups, but such legislation didn't make it across the finish line in previous years.

"Franchise tax continues to be something that folks in the business community feel is one of the few remaining impediments to job creation and job development," Berger said.

House Speaker Tim Moore also voiced support for tax cuts but was less specific about what he'd support.

"We...