LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – This time next week, Louisiana legislators will be in special session on tax reform.
During the three-week session, they‘ll work on proposed changes to the Constitution and related laws. But some ask, “What’s the rush?”
If the lawmakers approve Gov. Jeff Landry’s proposed tax overhaul, it would lower income taxes for most people and increase other opportunities for state revenue over the next five years.
State Sen. Mark Abraham, R-Lake Charles, said it would put Louisiana in a good place.
“We will be perceived by the tax foundation and other think tank groups that we have improved our tax structure in Louisiana, which will make us shine to the rest of the country,” he said.
Fair tax advocate Dustin Granger said he disagrees with the timing.
“I don’t think it’s a good time to fit in or squeeze in a very important session that is very complicated, very sophisticated. We can’t fit all this in just less than three weeks,” he said.
Granger suspects they want to get the proposed constitutional amendment they will hammer out during the session before voters in March.
“March will be a pretty low turnout election. If we’re going to have big changes in our constitution we would want an election where a lot of people are participating,” Granger said.
Abraham said to achieve good progress, voters must cast ballots in March.
“That’s going to deal with exemptions, deal with taking no sales tax away from certain items, increasing the standard deduction. Combining the rainy-day fund and the revenue stabilization fund into one. Those were all constitutionally protected. We have to do away with those in order pass the other bills,” Abraham said.
Landry said the plan would help solve the looming budget shortfall of up to $800 million voters will decide.
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