Senators succeeded in putting a critical condition on the proposed repeal of the income tax that prevents it from taking effect until the Legislature passes a plan to replace the lost revenue. Later, the bill passed, 35-4, and heads to the House, though its current form would prevent the tax phase-out to proceed without further legislative action. Over the objections of Sen. Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, author of the repeal bill, Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Covington, was able to attach an amendment to require the Legislature to adopt a plan to replace phased-out revenue with spending reductions and/or repeal of tax exemptions. The phase-out of the tax would not proceed until the balanced budget plan would be passed. The amendment would create a study commission to recommend changes to the governor and Legislature. It passed, 21-17.
Though Donahue says he offered a workable plan for the income tax repeal, Marionneaux asked, “Why have you been holding secret meetings to come up with a way to kill this bill?” Marionneaux called the Donahue amendment another attempt to “sidetrack, derail, run away from, hide” and mocked his colleague for creating another level of government in an attempt to reduce its size. Earlier, senators approved an amendment by Sen. Buddy Shaw, R-Shreveport, to require the governor and agency to make spending reductions in line with a plan that Treasurer John Kennedy has pushed for the past year. While the amendments appear to present conflicting requirements, the senators did not try to reconcile differences. With House Speaker Jim Tucker observing from the back of the upper chamber, Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, urged senators, “Send the bill to the House and let them deal with it.”
This story has been changed since it was first published
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