At the start of the legislative session that is set to end later this week, to take their role as part of a co-equal branch of government seriously, and to approach decisions on taxing and spending with caution.
We’ve been pleased to see the state Senate, under the mature leadership of Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, do just that.
Senators killed that would have cut the state sales tax rate from 5% to 4.75% and its flat income tax rate from 3% to 2.75%.
We continue to believe that Louisian’s sales tax is too high and disproportionately burdens those least able to pay, and we’re always for putting more money in ¶¶Òõhns’ pockets when possible and prudent. But these proposals were neither.
State Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, argued that the lost revenue would be offset by eliminating the Revenue Stabilization Fund, a state savings account. But an analysis by state economists found that the numbers didn’t add up, and predicted the tax cuts would create steep shortfalls in coming years. We’re glad the Senate Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee took this warning seriously.
We were also encouraged to see the Senate Finance Committee reduce the amount the state would allot to the new that lawmakers created last year at Gov. Jeff Landry’s urging, which puts taxpayer dollars toward private school tuition and other educational expenses.
Landry had included $93.5 million for the program in his proposed budget, and the House approved it. But the Finance Committee followed the lead of Henry, who has pointed out that states with similar programs have seen costs skyrocket, with much of the money going to families who already send their kids to private schools. Henry has also noted that a smaller voucher program adopted under Gov. Bobby Jindal did not produce better outcomes.
The committee cut $50 million from the request and budgeted $43.5 million, the cost of that old voucher program.
We don’t know whether that figure will stand; advocates are pushing for the original total to be restored, citing the nearly 40,000 families that have applied to participate. The full Senate will consider the budget in the coming days, and whatever emerges will go to conference committee with House members.
We hope lawmakers who still have a chance to weigh in will keep in mind the unsettling fiscal uncertainty from Washington, where Congress may cut Medicaid and other programs on which Louisian’s budget relies, as well as policy shifts affecting major sectors such as trade and international tourism. There’s also uncertainty in Baton Rouge, where lawmakers passed major changes to the tax system just last year and have yet to see how they’ll play out.
We actually wish we’d see more of this type of thoughtful deliberation from our representatives in Congress, where Republicans majorities in both houses have mostly done President Donald Trump's bidding rather than embracing their constitutional role providing checks and balances.
That's not the way government is supposed to work — on any level.Â
