You'll be hearing quite a bit of the following line as state legislators tout the on-time budget that passed earlier today: "There were no new taxes!"

But that's only true because of a $1.9 billion tax hike passed in December, which applied to this budget year.

The income tax hike applied to high earners. Middle-income earners took in a slight income tax cut.

The extra revenue that the tax hike brought in helped stave off massive cuts to education programs.

So while the statement is true in its strictest sense — the law they just passed didn't contain any tax hikes — it's only because of a legislative/budgetary sleight of hand.

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