The special legislative session ends tomorrow at 6pm, and lawmakers are still trying to address the state’s huge fiscal deficit through a combination of budget cuts and tax increases. We’re waiting to see what legislation will come out. Jeremy Alford with la-politics-dot-com says the certainties in this session include taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, and car rentals, but he says more bills still have to be approved.
In the House, there has been talk of increasing the state sales tax by more than a penny to increase revenue. Metairie Representative Cameron Henry supports the proposal….
CUT 3 (11) “or TOPS”
Democrats oppose this idea. Baton Rouge representative Ted James…
Cut 5 (09) “right thing”
Senate democrats, who believe businesses are not paying their fair share of taxes, took out some of their frustrations with the president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry Stephen Waguespack. Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau is one of those lawmakers who is not happy that LABI is pushing legislators to increase the state sales tax by more than a penny…
cut 12 (10) “…we can’t pay anymore”
Waguespack says businesses are already dealing with a horrible economic recession…
cut 13 (08) “….across the board”
A senate committee approved a bill today that would remove a four-cent sales tax that businesses currently do not have to pay. This is all part of the discussion over how the state should address a massive budget shortfall this fiscal year and next.