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Just in case you don’t think Bobby Jindal and the leges are serious about taking away your promised tax break from the hated Stelly Tax, check out the letter below. It is, obviously, the beginning of a statewide lobbying effort to pass SB 335. See the letter below.

According to the letter it’s “not a tax increase.” Maybe it’s not to a Nicholls alum, but it is a tax to this LSU alum.

Contradicting the statement that it is not a tax increase, the letter goes on to say it will only cost those of us who itemize “very little.” So if it is not a tax increase why is it costing me anything? Must be a Nicholls State thing.

If I get such a letter from the LSU Alumni Association (my alma mater) I will tell them because it is such a very little amount, that I’m sure that they will not mind if I deduct the same from my annual contribution to LSU for the next 3 years.

Don’t forget to let your lege know how you feel about this “non-increase” increase in your taxes that will ONLY cost you a “very little” more. They are at home until Tuesday on paid vacation from the lege session thanks to your tax dollars.

C.B.

From: AlumniPresident [ mailto:AlumniPresident@nicholls.edu]
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 3:06 PM
Subject: Message from the Alumni President

Dear Nicholls Alum,

Nicholls State University needs you to act immediately. Yesterday a panel in the Louisiana Senate modified Senate Bill 335 in order to offset about half of the deep cuts to higher education proposed by the Jindal administration, cuts that would reduce state support to Nicholls by almost 20% and cause devastating, long lasting effects on our university. Essentially, the bill will keep the provision that allows a 65% deduction of any federal excess itemized deductions above standard deductions on Louisiana state taxes for the next 3 years rather than allow it to go up to 100%. It only affects those that itemize on their federal taxes and then by very little. It is not a tax increase.

I am asking you to contact your legislators and Governor Jindal today. Please call or email your senator and your representative to tell him or her that you support Senate Bill 335 in its modified version. Tell them that this is NOT a tax increase. Tell them that you are willing to postpone any tax savings that you might have incurred in order to maintain the strength and quality of higher education at Nicholls and around the state. Tell them that a state without strong support for higher education is a state that is dooming its long range future, and that as a tax payer you are willing to support Senate Bill 335, so that there is a future for your children and grandchildren right here in Louisiana.

I support the Senate Panel’s efforts to maintain the quality of higher education in Louisiana. Please join me and the entire Nicholls Alumni Federation in letting our voices be heard in Baton Rouge.

Your legislator’s mailing and email addresses can be obtained at http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Reps/H_Reps_FullInfo.asp for representatives and http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Senators/offices.asp for senators. The governor can be emailed at http://www.gov.la.gov/index.cfm?md=form&tmp=email_governor

Sincerely,

Brett Terrebonne

Brett Terrebonne, President

Nicholls Alumni Federation

1 CB 8:00 am

Thanks, Bobby!

Thursday, while Bobby Jindal was in Hammond having lunch, the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee voted without a dissenting vote to increase our State Personal Income Taxes by $118 Million per year.

What’s even worse about this tax increase — it is RETROACTIVE. Five months into the current tax year we find that our taxes are being increased retroactive to January 1, 2009.

This was another of those sneak attacks by Jindal and his lege floor leaders to deny us what they had promised us several years ago.

The issue

On our 2009 State Personal Income Tax returns we were supposed to finally get 100% of excess itemized deduction which was taken away by the Stelly Tax restored to us. SB 335 prevents that from happening for another 3 years.

Another smelly deal

It sounds to me like Bobby has made another deal with the leges to screw the taxpayers of Louisiana.  This tax increase smells like the deal that Bobby made with the leges not to veto their pay raise last year.  Otherwise, it makes no sense for the leges to vote for a tax increase that Bobby would veto.

Bobby says he is opposed to higher taxes, but he nor his staff even show up for this huge tax increase. It’s just another case of Bobby saying one thing and doing another. Bobby may not like taxes, but he sure enjoys spending the revenues from them.

What’s next? Will they pass SB 336 which delays the Stelly Tax cut that we fought so hard for last year and which Jindal and Speaker Jim Tucker have thus far prevented us from getting.

Action needed

If you care about your tax reduction that you were promised, tell your lege to vote against SB 335.

All of the leges will be home for a 4-day paid (by you) vacation until next Tuesday.

C.B.

1 CB 8:00 am

Tuesday, the Baton Rouge Advocate newspaper announced the layoff of 49 employees effective this Thursday.

Wednesday, Capital One Bank announced the layoff of 180 employees due to moving a portion of its Baton Rouge operations to Texas and Maryland.

Also on Wednesday, Trinity Marine announced that in July it will layoff 190 workers at its Brusly location.

That’s 419 souls who have lost their jobs in two days right under the nose of the state’s ethically-challenged, Secretary of Economic Development, Stephen Moret.

So what’s Moret doing about it? Where’s the cash? Where’s the daily press conferences?

If one takes credit for all jobs created in LA, one must also take the blame for all the jobs lost.

Another question for Moret, why is it whenever a company consolidates the operations go to another state? Could it be because it is more expensive to do business in LA?

It cost the taxpayers $50 Million to save 650 jobs of the 1,300 lost at the chicken processing plant. The state should be able to save these 419 jobs for a mere $35 Million or so.

Alternative solution

As an alternative to paying for jobs after-the-fact, Moret may consider asking the lege to reduce all business taxes in LA.

Perhaps Moret can explain to Bobby Jindal, that Bobby’s support for increasing the Homestead Exemption is not the way save jobs. Businesses will lose even more jobs because increasing the exemption will raise taxes even higher on businesses.

Bobby said

Here’s some excerpts from Jindal’s 2007 campaign brochure on Economic Development:

Our current business climate drives away new business and their jobs.  Businesses will not locate in a state that does not support their growth and success and instead forces upon them higher taxes and burdensome regulations.

We should oppose new burdensome taxes on small business and ensure our current tax code, regulatory structure, and workforce training programs are promoting the success of small business.

We must stop driving away small business, corporate investment and high-paying jobs to neighboring states by finally putting in place a tax system that is fair to our people and the companies that want to hire them.

Stephen, your silence on business taxes and the Homestead Exemption is deafening.

C.B.

1 CB 8:18 am