A measure to be heard before the House Ways and Means Committee would place a flat corporate income tax of 2-percent on the profits of businesses. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Civil rights activists say protests can be expected if the Department of Justice chooses not to file charges against the Baton Rouge police officers who fatally shot Alton Sterling. Jeff Palermo has more…
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Today the budget for next fiscal year is expected to move out of the House Appropriations Committee. Halen Doughty has more…
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A measure gaining popularity with lawmakers that will be heard in the House Way and Means Committee today would place a flat corporate income tax from 1 to 2 –percent on the profits a business makes. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard says his bill would generate an estimated 200 million dollars in tax revenue.
Havard says the bill would eliminate exemptions and the franchise tax. He says this plan is the farthest thing away from Governor John Bel Edwards’ proposed gross receipts tax, which was pulled due to a major lack of support but he has received positive feedback on his measure.
Business groups like LABI are not supportive, because corporate loopholes will be closed. But Havard says companies or businesses will not have to pay this tax, if they don’t make a profit.
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The Capitol City is anxiously awaiting a decision from the Department of Justice on whether or not civil rights charges will be handed down against the Baton Rouge police officers involved in last summer’s fatal shooting of Alton Sterling. Former Metro Council member John Delgado says he’s heard the DOJ should announce its decision by Tuesday.
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The Mayor’s Office says speculation that a decision could be made this week is just that. After last July’s fatal incident outside a Baton Rouge convenience store, protestors called for justice. A week after the incident, a Missouri man attacked law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge, killing three and wounding three more. Delgado hopes we don’t see that kind of tragedy again.
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But President of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the NAACP, Mike McClanahan says without justice, there can be no peace. He expects if DOJ does not bring forth charges, there will be protests and rallies around the city.
McClanahan doesn’t believe relations have improved between law enforcement and the public since the shooting. He says groups are planning to march if the DOJ doesn’t charge the officers responsible for Sterling’s death, and some are calling for an economic boycott.
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President Donald Trump has reached 100 days in office, but what does that mean for Louisiana? ULM political science professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says Mr. Trump’s first 100 days in office have been turbulent and unorthodox. He says there’s been very little direct policy change at the federal level under the new administration.
But Mr. Trump has won the support of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, business leaders, and officials from the oil and gas industry. Stockley says the president hasn’t really done anything at this point to help or hurt them one way or the other.
Stockley says it’s not surprising policy changes have not yet been made because the federal process takes a while.
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The House Appropriations Committee is expected to approve a spending plan for the next fiscal year today. Chairman Cameron Henry of Metairie says they plan to hold back about 2 percent of the revenue forecast by the Revenue Estimating Conference. He says the REC is usually wrong, and withholding this money could prevent midyear cuts.
Under the governor’s proposed budget, TOPS was only funded at 70 percent for the next fiscal year. Henry says it’s his intention to fully fund the taxpayer funded scholarship program.
Henry says that means lawmakers will have to find $81 million from somewhere else to fund the program. He says a lot of legislators feel plenty of agencies have funds to spare. He says some agencies, like the Louisiana Department of Health gain money throughout the year.
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The Saints selected five players on defense and two offense with their seven picks in the 2017 NFL draft. The franchise believes they found a lock down cornerback for the next decade with their first round pick of Marshon Lattimore of Ohio State. But Coach Sean Payton says Lattimore will have to earn his spot on the field…
Despite recently signing Adrian Peterson, the Saints still drafted a running back in the third round, running back Alvin Kamara. Payton believes Kamara can coexist on a roster featuring Mark Ingram and A-P….
The Saints had a big need to draft a pass rusher and they waited until the sixth round to take one, defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. The 6-3, 253-pounder had his issues at Miami. He was suspended for a fight during spring practice and later kicked off the team after allegedly receiving improper benefits from a car rental company. Payton says Muhammad has made some mistakes, but he’s been a good teammate…