Jindal tax reform faces opposition - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports

Governor Bobby Jindal's tax reform plan hasn't even been announced yet and the haters have already begun to line up.

Jan Moeller is the director of the Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Budget Project. They do independent research and analysis of Louisiana fiscal issues and their impact on low and moderate income residents.

Jindal is proposing to eliminate personal and corporate income taxes and replace the hole with increased sales tax and eliminating some tax breaks.

"Our position is if we're going to have a debate about tax reform we really should be looking to address Louisiana's chronic revenue problems," says Moeller.  "We can't afford emergency shelters for battered women fleeing abusive relationships. We can't afford mental health care for at risk kids. We need to grow the revenue pool. We have cut the budget for five straight years and we've cut it to the bone."

Jindal has been quietly shopping his idea to lawmakers who will consider it during the next session which starts in August. He will have to do a good lobbying job because he'll need two-thirds of the vote in both the house and senate. 

We talked to some Louisiana residents outside of a Baton Rouge store. Do they support the Jindal concept.

"I mean they take it out of my check, says Samuel Rhymes of Monroe. "They are going to get it one way or another."

"No not really," says Mitch Alford of Baton Rouge. " We already pay so much money as it is."

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