(RALEIGH) -- State House Republicans advanced a budget proposal that would raise tens of millions of dollars in additional service-related fees while letting the temporary sales tax hike expire.  House Speaker Tom Tillis said raising fees on items such as driver's educations and court costs is an example of making these services pay for themselves.

"I'm convinced that we are collecting less in the fee than it costs to provide that discrete service," said Tillis.
 
Democratic Rep. Paul Luebke said the fee hikes amount to a tax increase and he believes those who are better able to pay.  He proposed an amendment that would raise taxes on millionaires. "It asks just one-eighth of one percent of North Carolinians, those making more than a million dollars, to pay for these fees that otherwise we are putting across on the people of North Carolina.  And a millionaires' tax would be on 5,000 people, not on nine million," said Luebke. The idea didn't gain any traction.

The GOP proposal would would allow local schools to raise driver’s education fees to $75. Itt would also double the foreclosure filing fee from $150 to $300.