Well, Monty Hall would fit right in today in Baton Rouge at
the State Legislature.
The House Ways & Means Committee, chaired by Joel
Robideaux (R-Lafayette) and including Jefferson Parish State Reps Julie Stokes
(R-79) and Tom Willmott (R-92), will begin debating today 25 different bills dealing
with the State Personal and Corporate Income Taxes, the Corporate Franchise
Tax, the Cigarette Tax, along with various other proposals regarding tax
credits and exemptions.
Some of the bills call for reducing the State Personal and
Corporate Income Taxes while others call for the taxes to be phased-out over a
period of 3 – 10 years.
In addition to phasing out the Income Taxes, there are also
plans to keep the income taxes but lower their rates and a plan for a Flat
Income Tax of 1.9% on personal incomes of more than $12,500.
Chairman Robideaux told The Advocate, “My role in this is to
(ensure) the bills (are) heard, give them a fair hearing.”
Last week, Governor Bobby Jindal scrapped his plan to
eliminate the State Personal and Corporate Income Taxes in 2014 and replace
them with an increased State Sales Tax. Governor Jindal faced increasing
pressure on several fronts before he withdrew his plan on the opening day of
the legislative session.The Governor basically threw up his hands and told legislators to figure it out.
The Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) and the Public
Affairs Research Council (PAR) have both cautioned against eliminating or
phasing-out the income tax.
CABL said that it’s time to “end this unrealistic tax debate”.
So, will it be Door #1, Door #2 or Door #3?
Let’s hope that Louisianians won’t get Zonked.
Monty Hall would be so proud.
