forgotston.com

Just like in families and small businesses, state government has to live within its means. That means we will have to reduce government spending to a level we can afford. Raising taxes is not an option, and would be the worst thing we could do in an economic downturn so we will make government work more efficiently and we will do our jobs while spending less money. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, December 15, 2009. ( See entire statement here.)

Despite the above rhetoric from The Roads Scholar about government “belt-tightening” it appears that the taxpayers of Louisiana of Louisiana will have to loosen their wallets.

Only July 1, state parks and historic areas will begin charging higher taxes/fees/revenue enhancers or whatever one calls them to make up for the revenue declines.

This tax increase is in addition to the increases on our driver’s licenses and costs to students (or their parents) attending state colleges.

Apparently, “living within its means” actually means living within its means after higher taxes are imposed.

How’d they do that?

The state constitution restricts the ability to raise taxes and fees to the leges and requires a 2/3’s vote of the lege to enact or increase them.  When did the leges increase the taxes imposed at state parks?

Finally, to quote “The Roads Scholar”: “Its time to match action to our rhetoric.”

Let’s hope Bobby can hear himself when he’s speaking.

C.B.

1 CB 8:00 am

The Sleeper Tax

No, it is not a tax on people who sleep.

This is a “sleeper tax” similar to “sleeper cells” planted in countries by terrorists.   They awaken them at some future date to wreak havoc on the citizens.

Background

According the LA Office of Motor Vehicles this “sleeper tax” was planted in 1992.  That year a law was enacted as LA R.S. 32:409.1.A(6)(iii).  That was during the last Edwin Edwards administration.

The law allows (doesn’t mandate) the LA Office of Motor Vehicles to impose an additional tax of $15.00 on each application for or renewal of a personal driver’s license.

For 18 years, the tax lay dormant.

Ironically, during the “no tax increase” regime of “The Roads Scholar” the “sleeper tax” has suddenly been activated.

As of today, Monday, March 8, 2010, all applicants will have the tax on their license increased by $15.00.

More hypocrisy

While flying around the state in a taxpayer-funded helicopter telling his audiences that he would not support any additional taxes on the people in order to make up the budget shortfalls; he does just that.

The Scholar further said that in order to make up for the shortfalls in the various state agency budgets the agencies must “tighten their belts” just like the citizens.

Now, we learn that The Scholar was misleading us.  While saying “no new taxes,” he was imposing a new tax that even EWE would not impose.

Solutions

There are several ways to stop this “sleeper tax”:

1) If he wasn’t a hypocrite, The Scholar could simply call the Superintendent of State Police and tell him not to activate the tax.

2) Leges who don’t support higher taxes can simply repeal the “sleeper tax” during the upcoming Regular Session.  It can be repealed before the second week of April.

(Note: Despite what the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (tax writing committee), Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge, has said publicly, taxes CAN BE REPEALED in a non-tax year.)

3) Leges who don’t support higher taxes can demand that the lege oversight committees hold immediate pubic hearings and stop the tax from being imposed until they have time to repeal it.

A vote by a lege not to repeal the tax increase should be considered as a vote for higher taxes.

What next?

Finally, this begs the question: How many other “sleeper taxes” there are currently laying dormant?

Ask your lege, he is supposed to know the law.

C.B.

1 CB 8:00 am

“Look, we don’t like each other. Let’s stick to the facts, though. None of this is personal,” [Sen. Troy] Hebert, [D-Jeanerette] said.  Baton Rouge Advocate, March 2, 2010.

To read more about the feud between Hebert and the local District Attorney go here.

Makes one wonder what Hebert does when it gets personal.

C.B.

1 CB 8:00 am