Legislature Shuts Governor Edwards Tax Plan Down
I don't think there is a single person reading this narrative that wouldn't agree to pay their fair share. Whether it's a tab at dinner, snacks for a tailgate party, or even taxes for roads, bridges, higher education, and health services. The issue with the tax part of this fair share equation is that government officials and you and I don't define "fair share" the same way.
Governor John Bell Edwards inherited a mess. Former Governor Bobby Jindal in his blindsided power grab mortgaged the future of our state with a fiscal policy that resembled that of a third world nation. I appreciate what Governor Edwards wants to do for our state. I don't appreciate the way he wants to go about it. Apparently, the state's legislature is leaning more toward my philosophy than the Governor's.
Governor Edwards announced a tax revenue generation plan that would put the burden of bridging our state's budget gap squarely on the shoulders of our businesses. I guess his idea was businesses don't vote so let's screw them over and leave the individual voters alone. In fact, let's make the individual's tax burden even less.
Yesterday the Governor's plan to shift the tax burden from individuals to businesses went down in flames courtesy of the House Ways and Means Committee. I think the flaw in the Governor's plan was this. Businesses create jobs. Jobs give individuals wages. These wages, as well as the purchases made with these wages, are taxed. Why would you want to destroy the genesis of the entire tax structure?
So, it's back to the drawing board for the Governor, the legislature, and for you and I. We still have one hell of a financial mess to clean up. This legislative session is halfway done. There are no answers and there won't be, until the final day of the session when all of the sudden lawmakers will do what they were elected to do.
They will compromise on a plan that divides the burden so many of us will pay slightly more than our fair share. I say slightly more because those of us with jobs must still carry the non-motivated burdens of the handout society created by social welfare programs. I bet if we eliminated that burden the state could balance its books.