Florida Governor Rick Scott says he’s coming to Louisiana to encourage businesses here to move to the Sunshine State. He says Governor Edwards is trying to raise taxes on employers, and Florida has a better business climate. Governor Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo says this is a political stunt by Scott and Louisianians shouldn’t pay too much attention…:
cut 12 (08) “are over now”

At the State Capitol today, the Louisiana House approved a package of tax bills that would increase state revenues by 220-million dollars for next fiscal year’s budget. But Governor John Bel Edwards has said the legislature needs to raise 600-million dollars to avoid major cuts to education and health care. Several other tax bills are having a difficult time getting out of the House Ways and Means Committee. The special session must wrap up its business two weeks from today.

Louisiana State Police has confirmed that St. Joseph Mayor Ed Brown is at the center of a criminal investigation. Trooper Michael Reichardt says he can’t say much about the case yet, as the investigation is ongoing…
cut 15 (07) “…takes us”
The legislative aduitor accused Mayor Brown of mismanaging the Tensas Parish town’s finances. The city’s financial books are so bad the courts had to appoint a fiscal manager.

Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal is facing a new criminal charge. Ackal has been indicted on an allegation that he planned to have another man arrested and beaten, because he assaulted one of the sheriff’s relatives. Back in March, Ackal was initially indicted on charges he directed officers to beat five inmates at the parish jail’s chapel, where no surveillance cameras could catch it.

The Baton Rouge Coroner’s office has ruled the death of an eight-month-old who was left in a hot car for two hours as an accident.