Should Louisiana Raise Taxes Again?
Two interesting and related articles this morning – the first from The Advocate regarding a poll about raising taxes during the upcoming Special Session:
FULL ARTICLE ON BUSINESSREPORT.COM
“Roughly seven in 10 Louisianans, or 72%, believe increasing taxes will keep businesses from relocating to The Bayou State, according to the results of a poll of 500 “likely voters” released Tuesday by Baton Rouge-based Southern Media and Opinion Research.
At the same time, 69% of respondents say they think increasing taxes will cause Louisiana businesses to cut back, while 52% say tax increases will result in job losses.
Local businessman Lane Grigsby commissioned the statewide poll, which comes on the heels of state lawmakers increasing sales taxes and eliminating business tax exemptions during a special session held in the spring to shrink budget shortfalls this fiscal year and next. Projections indicate that $1 billion in new taxes were raised during the first special session held this year.
Another special session is slated to begin next week, during which taxes could be further increased and exemptions cut even more. On Friday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a call for the second special session to begin 30 minutes after the current regular session ends on Monday. The goal: address what’s left of an estimated $600 million shortfall in the state’s 2016-2017 budget.”
In a second, related article, Florida’s Governor Rick Scott is expected to be in New Orleans and Baton Rouge on Tuesday on a jobs mission that falls in line with previous trips he has made to states with Democrat governors.
“As Gov. Edwards continues to rally behind tax increases and bad business policies, we stand ready to help Louisiana companies grow and create jobs in Florida,” Scott said.
“Many Louisianans already vacation in Florida, and they will save more of their money by moving their businesses to our state,” he added later.