Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to unveil his tax reform plan today when he meets with the Committee of 100 in Washington, D.C. President of the Council for a Better Louisiana, Barry Erwin, says comprehensive tax reform is needed because many of the tax hikes approved last year will expire next year…:
Cut 7 (07) “a decade now”‘
Tax changes could be made during the regular session, which is set to begin in April.

The governor is also in Washington for the D-C Mardi Gras festivities. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the parties are a lot of fun, but it’s also a chance for Louisiana to sell the state to corporate leaders in business meetings during the day….
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Pinsonat says Saturday’s Ball is one of the biggest social events of the year in D-C.

State judge Mike Erwin in Baton Rouge has been banned from a popular eatery in the Capital City called Sammy’s Grill, because he allegedly used a racial slur during a dispute over a chair at the bar. Legal analyst Tim Meche anticipates the Louisiana Judiciary Commission will investigate. He says in 2004 a judge in Houma was suspended for a year for wearing a blackface costume at Halloween…
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Erwin’s staff has issued a no comment regarding the situation.

Cleco’s chief executive officer Darren Olagues, who was arrested in December for domestic abuse strangulation in an incident involving his wife, has resigned. The charges against Olagues were dropped at the request of his wife last month. Bill Fontento will serve as interim CEO for the Pineville-based utility company.