BOSTON -- The talk on Beacon Hill on Monday was focused squarely on raising the state’s sales tax, but Governor Deval Patrick said legislators will need to enact reforms before he will support the revenue proposal.

NewsCenter 5’s Janet Wu reported that Patrick sent a memo to legislators vowing that he would veto a sales tax hike without pension, ethics and transportation reforms first. Some of Patrick’s staunchest supporters, however, have broken with the governor on the sales tax issue.

“I don’t believe that we can go to the public and ask for any broad based tax increase unless we get meaningful reforms on the measures that are pending right now,” said Patrick.

Small business owners rallied at the state house on Monday to voice their disapproval for the proposed tax increase. Many worry that a tax hike will push shoppers out of the state and into New Hampshire, which has looser tax regulations, or onto the Internet.

“You just need to know that we have a very tech-savvy consumer in Massachusetts,” said Jon Hurst, of the Massachusetts Retailers Association. “They’re just two clicks away from buying tax-free on the Internet.”

Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich, held a cupped hand to his ear as he spoke at a news conference Monday and said that he could hear the far-off jubilation of out-of-state business owners.

“If you … listen real carefully, you can hear the cheering of all the retailers in southern New Hampshire because they are applauding what is going on in Massachusetts today,” said Hill.

“It’s not the right time,” said House Republican leader Bradley Jones. “Our economy is down and struggling. This is only going to be a further death knell.”

House Speaker Robert DeLeo has proposed bumping the sales tax from 5 percent to 6.25 percent, but he will need to build a consensus behind the proposal to pass it by Patrick without a veto. DeLeo will work this week to round up at least 106 house members in support of the sales tax increase.

In DeLeo’s corner Monday was Rep. Charles Murphy, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Murphy said that House leaders realize the tax proposal is unpopular with voters, but he said state leaders are facing tough economic realities.

“We understand it’s going to hurt, and it’s going to hurt certain communities more than others," said Murphy. "We get that. But we’re here to make tough decisions and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Among the advocates of the sales tax increase at the state house on Monday was also Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, who said that towns cannot afford the service cuts that will result from the budget shortfall.

“You cannot cut your way out of this problem,” said Curtatone. “You cannot layoff your way out of this problem.”

Patrick, however, is still pushing for new reform proposals before a tax hike is approved. The governor has indicated that proposals currently being debated in the House and Senate do not go far enough to address lasting issues in the transportation department and the state retirement system.

Sources told NewsCenter 5 Monday that DeLeo has the support of about 100 members of the House for the sales tax hike. Twisting the last six arms could be politically costly for DeLeo, however – particularly if it means soliciting votes from representatives of border towns most likely to be impacted by the tax increase.