Governor John Bel Edwards released his plan today for a new tax structure. It calls for lower sales taxes, but more services would be subject to a sales tax and there would be adjustments to the income tax bracket, which he says would benefit a majority of residents….
cut 11 (13) “….federal income taxes’
Edwards is also calling for a new tax called the Commerical Activity Tax, which would tax large businesses. The governor points out that 129-thousand businesses did not pay any state taxes during the 2015 tax year.

Business groups are already expressing concerns. President of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry Stephen Waguespack says Louisiana’s economy is in a recession and the governor seems tone deaf to the economic reality.

The governor has released his legislative package dealing with public education. One of the measures would prohibit the use of corporal punishment in public schools for students with disabilities. Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil is the sponsor of that legislation….
cut 9 (10) “….vulnerable”
The state Education deparment found over 500 students with disabilities received some kind of corporal punishment last school year.

A report from the national transportation research group TRIP finds Louisiana drivers are paying an additional $6.5 billion annually because of poor highways. Research and Policy Manger Rocky Moretti.
Cut 5 (11) “traffic crashes”
Moretti says Louisiana has the 7th highest rate of traffic fatalities in the country.