The House convenes at this hour as they will vote on a variety of bills that would raise taxes. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says the House is reluctant to raise taxes, so there’s a lot of negotiating behind the scenes…
cut 6 (09) “….their caucus”
The big tax proposal on the agenda is a penny increase to the four-cent sales tax, which would raise an estimated 220-million dollars by June 30th and help fill a 900-million dollar shortfall.

The chairman of the House Republican Legislative Delegation, Lance Harris of Alexandria, says they’ve sent a list of proposals to the governor’s office for long-term changes to how the state spends its money. Harris says some of their proposals can be addressed in the upcoming regular legislative session, while others will have to wait for next year’s fiscal session…
cut 12 (05) “….couple of years”
Harris says they are also pushing for any tax increases approved in the special session to be removed once the budget is stabilized.

Cleco’s proposed sale to a foreign private investment firm has been rejected by the Public Service Commission. . Cleco spokesperson Jennifer Cahill says the sale would have been good for their customers…
cut 15 (06) “….it’s stakeholders”
So what’s next for the Pineville-based utility company. Cahill says they are reviewing their options.

ExxonMobil has invested 13-million dollars to help a college readiness program that’s already been successful in several Louisiana high schools…
cut 9 (08) “….18 schools”
That’s Matthew Randazzo with the National and Science Initiative College Readiness Program, who says these dollars will get more students involved in Advanced Placement courses and improve student performance in math, science and English.

The St. James Parish coroner has identified the two victims who were killed when a tornado hit an RV park in St. James Parish. They are 59-year-old Eugene Swann of Alabama and 51-year-old Scott Ellis of North Carolina. Officials many residents of the RV park were contractors working at chemical plants.