Governor Bobby Jindal is proposing to scale back 526 million dollars in tax credits for businesses. The move would restore the money to the state. Jindal's administration is seeking to close a $1.6 billion shortfall in next year's budget.
Details of the governor's budget proposal to cover the gap were unveiled Friday. The tax credit issue is drawing questions from some lawmakers who feel Jindal stops short of potential revenue coming back to the state. "In the movie tax credit, we're paying 30 percent of their expenses to come here and make films, and then we offer that as a tax credit to someone else," says Alexandria representative Lance Harris.
Harris, along with Amite representative John Bel Edwards, have stated they disagree with a cigarette tax being offered up by the governor. The move would offset proposed higher fees to attend college. Edwards, a 2016 gubernatorial candidate, says the strategy is merely a political move to illustrate Jindal's ideals for tax reform.
