How many votes in the senate needed to pass a tax bill?

Okay, I'll answer it myself. Apparently, the stimulus package needed 60 to override the possibility of a "budget point of order". The budget itself I am guessing only needs a simple majority. More answers. Only a simple majority is needed, but to prevent a filibuster you need 60. Therefore, in the current climate you need 60 for everything. The 60 threshold allows the senate to invoke cloture - which limits the amount of time you can blockade a bill. See article in today's NY Times for a discussion of filibuster and how it is now being used in excess - disabling the constitution's requirement that we have majority rule, one person, one vote.