Gov. Jeff Landry reveals details about his plan to overhaul the state tax code. The proposal would entail the most sweeping set of changes to Louisiana's tax structure in 50 years.
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Gov. Jeff Landry spent the summer playing to his political base, championing the placement of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and issuing executive orders that prohibit undocumented immigrants from voting and ban the teaching of a racial theory hated by conservatives. Now Landry is taking on a heavy lift: a complete rewrite of Louisiana’s tax system that would require most if not all Republican legislators to approve sales tax increases while voting to lower individual and corporate taxes.
Landry is pushing legislators to adopt the changes during a special session he wants to convene in November. He also needs approval by voters in March elections to alter tax rules embedded in the state constitution, including a move that would free up money in a state savings fund. At this point, legislators and the public know only the broad outlines of what Landry’s 10 tax bills would achieve.
The governor wants to reduce corporate and individual tax rates and abolish the corporate franchise tax. He would offset those revenue losses by renewing a .45-cent sales tax, eliminating sales tax exemptions, imposing sales taxes on activities that go untaxed now and ending several programs that give big breaks to businesses.
Adopting those changes w.