Rep. Nick Gautreaux (D-Meaux)Louisiana Republicans are accustomed to giving speeches on 'liberal Democrats', Abortion, 'creation science' and how the Homosexual Agenda is out to destroy our culture. This is how they establish their 'conservative' credentials.
Now, in a wicked turn of fate, they are being called on to act on a truly conservative issue - abolishing the state's income tax. It really is quite a sight to see them hurrying and scurrying for political cover.
It appears that the Louisiana House of Representatives is prepared to okay SB 87 and send it back to the Senate, much to the dismay of the bill's author. The bill was introduced by Senator Buddy Shaw of Shreveport to roll back increases that were implemented by the passage of the Stelly bill in 2002.
Sen Nick Gautreaux, a Democrat no less, tacked on an amendment to eliminate the income tax instead, and to everyone's surprise the bill passed the Senate. Shaw could have returned the bill to the calendar, but did not do so in the belief that the House would kill it.
Senator Shaw has persuaded Rep. Jane Smith of Bossier City to propose an amendment in the house to restore the bill to its original state. Smith doesn't believe the amendment will gain support, however. Asked whether she believes the governor will support the bill, Smith said "I don't think he'll veto it." Jindal said today that he 'conceptually' supports the idea of eliminating personal income tax.
Our own Senator Robert Adley said when the bill passed the Senate that "the Governor will veto the bill - and should."
Perhaps he remembered that he switched to the Republican Party last December (after being elected as a Democrat in October). Today he switched songs in mid-tune and said “If we can draw in industry and jobs, we could offset the loss." He must have realized that people were actually watching, and that some people really believe that Louisiana Republicans are fiscal conservatives.
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