taxation-without-representation

Despite a constitutional prohibition (LA Const. Article VII, Section 1(A)) against surrendering its taxing authority, it appears that the leges have done just that.

We recently learned that the Office of State Parks of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism is going to hike the taxes on users of the state’s parks and historic areas.

The state constitution prohibits the increase in any tax or fee except by the 2/3’s vote of the Lege.

The basis for this tax increase is LA R.S. 56:1687(8).  The leges have given carte blanche to the secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to increase our taxes as he or she sees fit without any apparent oversight by the leges.

In other words, the leges have surrendered its taxing authority to political appointee Pam Breaux.  How many of you have even heard of her?

That is in direct contradiction to the determination by the citizens of Louisiana as set forth in the state constitution.

These “sleeper taxes” continue to beg the question of how many more are there laying dormant waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting public.

It’s time to wake up our leges and remind them that taxation is their job.   They have circumvented accountable for taxation.  We citizens have no way to hold accountable political appointees.

C.B.