***affiliates, please note that the Ways and Means committee is expected to take up tax proposals TUESDAY. The report has been updated on the web***

It’s the second week of the special legislative session called to stabilize Louisiana’s budget and we’re still waiting for our first meaningful bill to get out of the House Ways and Means Committee. Governor John Bel Edwards is asking legislators to increase taxes to address a 900-million dollar deficit that must be closed by June 30th.

House Republicans oppose tax increases and they are looking for the Edwards administration to cut government spending over the long term.

It is expected the Ways and Means committee will vote on some of the governor’s tax proposals on Tuesday. There are bills to increase taxes on cigarettes and alcohol and measures to raise corporate and income tax rates.

The big question is whether lawmakers will go along with the Edwards’ proposal to hike the state sales tax by one penny, which is expected to generate over 200-million dollars in the final three months of this fiscal year.