Letter: Don't keep raising taxes while families, business are hurting

“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session” is a classic political adage that finds its origins from a 19th century New York judicial decision. Louisianans must find this quote fitting today as the Louisiana Legislature is once again in a special session called by Governor John Bel Edwards considering raising taxes on Louisiana’s families and businesses.
Earlier this year, Gov. Edwards successfully convinced a majority of the Louisiana Legislature to green-light the largest tax increase in our state’s history. Thanks to Gov. Edwards’ sales tax hike, Louisiana can claim 1st place in another unenviable ranking as we now have the highest sales tax in the nation.
This Legislature will set a record by meeting 19 consecutive weeks. This is the longest such streak since the Louisiana Legislature first convened in 1812. Throughout this record setting legislative term, the singular focus of Gov. Edwards and his allies in the Legislature has been to raise taxes.
Despite promises to the contrary, the governor has not pursued any long-term budgetary or tax reform. In fact, he has been hostile to many of the reform ideas proposed by conservative legislators.
While state economists cannot tell us with any certainty how much in new tax revenue the state will receive from two consecutive years of tax increases, they have been willing to publicly proclaim that the state is mired in a recession. Over the past year, Louisiana has lost more than 16,000 jobs.
We cannot to continue to grow government while businesses are being forced to make layoffs and families are cutting back.
Raising taxes on Louisiana’s families and businesses during an economic downturn will only serve to deepen and lengthen the recession.
We know those who want to grow government will do almost anything to convince the Legislature that state government needs more revenue, including holding TOPS, higher education and our hospitals hostage. In fact, Go. edwards has already threatened to cancel LSU football and stopped TOPS payments in the middle of a semester for several hours until he decided the backlash was too great.
We can clearly see this tactic at play in the governor’s budget.
This year’s budget is roughly $2 billion larger than last year’s budget. The state’s general fund portion of the budget increased by $900 million.
Still, it did not properly fund our priorities and left TOPS, higher education and our hospitals wanting.
That is why I voted against the budget and will oppose all tax increases in the special session.
The state must get its fiscal house in order, but it must do so through reform, not never-ending tax increases.
State Rep. Beryl Amedee
R-Gray