State lawmakers have passed a motion that will temporarily increase North Carolina’s sales tax by an additional one percent.

The Ashe County Chamber of Commerce says the state’s tax increase will begin tomorrow and will run until July 1, 2011.

Officials hope the tax will help fill the state’s budget gap.

State Representative Cullie Tarleton said that no one in the legislature liked the idea of raising the sales tax, but the tough economic times put their backs against the wall.  Tarleton also said for every dollar raised in new taxes at the state level, lawmakers cut two dollars.