Coalition of La. clergy opposes Jindal tax proposal

A group of more than 250 clergy in the state say they’re opposed to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposal to overhaul Louisiana’s tax code. Jindal says the proposal—which would eliminate personal and corporate income taxes, while increasing the state sales tax rate and expanding the list of services for which sales taxes are collected—would be revenue neutral, and that the “vast majority” of taxpayers would see a net reduction in their state tax burden under the plan. But the group of clergy, which includes bishops and adjudicatory heads of some of the largest denominations in Louisiana, says the proposal amounts to an “unjust law.” “The faith community’s opposition is based principally on the regressive nature of Gov. Jindal’s proposal, which would increase the tax burden on low- and moderate-income families to pay for the elimination of personal and corporate income taxes,” says the group, which plans to formally deliver a letter of opposition to Jindal’s office this morning. “We believe that any proposed law that would increase the tax burden on low- and moderate-income families in order to decrease it for wealthy families must be judged an unjust law,” reads the letter, the full version of which you can see here.