Jim Beam

Louisiana legislators have tried during a number of recent annual sessions to eliminate without success much of the over $7 billion in revenue that the state loses every year in tax breaks, exemptions and credits. They are planning to try again during Republican Gov. Jeff Landry’s current special session on tax reform. Among the 33 House […]

Republicans in the Louisiana House were on a tax reform winning spree until running into their first major roadblock Thursday. Here are some of the winning battles: The House voted 87-11 for HB 1 that establishes a 3% flat individual income tax to replace a three-tiered tax structure. The legislation is awaiting a hearing in […]

Subjects that have nothing to do with taxes have become two of the most controversial topics during the Legislature’s third special session of 2024 that was called to deal with tax reform. The present state constitution lists 15 crimes for which juvenile protection features don’t apply. Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, […]

Members of the Louisiana Legislature ended their special session Friday after moving quickly to overwhelmingly approve eight tax bills that make up Republican Gov. Jeff Landry’s proposed tax reform plan. The Senate started the day by rolling a 3% flat individual income bill into House Bill 10 in order to tie it to a 1% […]

The once controversial REAL ID Louisiana driver’s license is becoming effective on May 7, 2025, for anyone planning to fly domestically. The goal is to prevent potential terrorists from using fraudulent identification for boarding flights like they did on four flights on Sept. 11, 2001, (9/11). The Advocate reminded its readers Wednesday that REAL ID […]

If voters accept Republican Gov. Jeff Landry’s tax reform package next March 29, Louisiana’s income taxes will be going down and the state’s sales taxes will be going up. Those citizens with the highest incomes will enjoy extremely large tax cuts and all citizens, including those with the lowest incomes, will be paying the higher sales […]

The next congressional elections don’t come until 2026, but the vultures (birds of prey) are already beginning to circle over Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, Louisiana’s senior senator. Cassidy has been in the Senate since 2015 and would be seeking his third term in 2026. The Advocate reported Thursday that Republican John Fleming, the state’s […]

Two problems have been bugging me for quite some time. First is the almost total absence of traffic law enforcement. Second, the constant barrage of text messages from scammers trying to get my money. As luck would have it, KPEL-FM at 96.5 in Breaux Bridge that covers the Acadiana area has written about both of […]

Gov. Jeff Landry and the Republican-dominated state Legislature have taken the first steps to do away with state income taxes, which they say will bring new industry, businesses and people to Louisiana. Unfortunately, there is a monumental property insurance problem that is driving people out of the state. Marilyn Landiak of New Orleans in a […]

Republican President-elect Donald Trump wants to end daylight saving time and that has revived what has been a longtime and confusing subject. The Hill reported that Trump’s Friday, Dec. 13, announcement on his Truth Social platform has created a Republican brouhaha, which is defined as “a noisy and overexcited reaction to something.” Newsweek reported this […]