You can add the Council for a Better Louisiana to the groups hailing the tax reform package. CABL President Barry Erwin said the lowering of personal and corporate income taxes and the elimination of the franchise tax will make Louisiana a better place to live and to do business.
“All these things kind of help improve our competitiveness and I think send a message that Louisiana is trying to do some things that we can where we can to improve the environment for businesses and for people.”
Erwin said he hopes that the new tax structure will encourage people to consider moving to Louisiana.
“We need to do some things that send messages about what we’re doing, how we’re trying to improve ourselves, how we’re trying to make life better in our state, and I think this is one thing that does it.”
Erwin, however, said it’s unfortunate that sales taxes, which are already among the highest in the nation, are increasing even further, with the state rate going up to five-percent as of January 1st.
“I think a lot of people feel more comfortable in some ways with a sales tax than an income tax, but I think we can’t lose track that the highest in the country is not a great place to be, and it hurts our poorest citizens the most.”
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