At a discount: Louisianans can buy flashlights, batteries, portable generators and other emergency supplies at a reduced state sales tax rate this weekend for the state’s Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. The holiday provides a 2% exemption from the state sales tax on statutorily-specified hurricane preparedness items. This year’s exemption applies to the first $1,500 of the purchase price of items such as portable self-powered light source, gas tanks, any storm shutter device and carbon monoxide detectors, among others things. The Department of Revenue says the full amount of any local sales taxes still apply to all purchases unless the local taxing authority creates its own exemption. The exemption does not apply to items sold by vendors located at any airport, public lodging establishment or hotel, entertainment complex or convenience store. Read more.
Merging: The Woodlands’ Huntsman Corp. and the Swiss company Clariant say they plan to combine in a so-called merger of equals to create one of the world’s largest specialty chemicals companies. FuelFix.com reports the all-stock deal would create a $14 billion company called HuntsmanClariant. Three Louisiana facilities are included in the deal. Huntsman owns a facility in Geismar. Clariant owns a chemical storage and packaging facility in Broussard and in Reserve. Huntsman CEO Peter Huntsman would serve as CEO with Clariant AG CEO Harold Kottmann as the chairman. Clariant shareholders would hold about 52% of the combined company, and both companies would have equal seats on the board. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. Read more.
Facebook faux pas: A Mississippi lawmaker has apologized for saying Louisiana leaders should be lynched for removing Confederate monuments. The Associated Press reports Republican state Rep. Karl Oliver of Winona had said in a Facebook post that the destruction of monuments is “heinous and horrific.” He accused Louisiana officials of acting in a Nazi-like fashion. “If the, and I use this term extremely loosely, “leadership” of Louisiana wishes to, in a Nazi-ish fashion, burn books or destroy historical monuments of OUR HISTORY, they should be LYNCHED! Let it be known, I will do all in my power to prevent this from happening in our State,” Oliver said in a post Saturday night. The lawmaker has since issued a statement apologizing after Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and House Speaker Philip Gunn, both Republicans, condemned his post. Read more.
