On a party-line vote, an Ohio House committee has approved a delay in the last-round of a 5-year income tax reduction.

The House Finance committee, controlled by Democrats, voted 17-13 Tuesday to approve the legislation, which also includes a 5% pay cut for state lawmakers.

Republicans have said it would amount to a tax increase if the Legislature waits until 2011 to trim income taxes by a final 4.2%.

The legislation is designed to plug a roughly $850 million gap in the current state budget after the Ohio Supreme Court derailed Gov. Ted Strickland's plan to put slot machines at race tracks.

The bill is scheduled for a floor vote Wednesday. It would then head to the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate.