Lawmakers need more details about Gov. John Bel Edwards’ tax proposals for closing a $1 billion budget gap, says Louisiana’s House speaker, raising questions about whether the two sides can strike a deal by the ever-nearing deadline set by Edwards.
Speaker Taylor Barras says he’s optimistic lawmakers in the majority-GOP chamber can rally around a set of proposals in time to have a February special session on taxes, but he adds that reaching an agreement could take time beyond the Jan. 19 date set by the Democratic governor.
A deal on taxes will need to be coupled with budget reforms sought by House Republicans, Barras says.
“I’m not as focused on the deadline as I am on trying to find the most reasonable solution,” Barras said in an interview. “I am all into working until the 19th and beyond the 19th for a solution.”
Barras is meeting with the governor today to continue talks.
“The governor has waited months for the speaker to offer a plan of his own so they can work out differences, but we have yet to see that plan,” said Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo in a statement. “The governor has once again asked the speaker to meet next week, where we hope he will bring some ideas to the table.”
Edwards and lawmakers are staring down what is being called the “fiscal cliff,” the expiration of $1 billion in temporary sales taxes on July 1 as the new budget year begins.
