Business owners are waiting to see what Gov. Bel Edwards will do in office.
A new year is typically a time for fresh starts and optimism—but not for small business owners in Louisiana in 2016. It’s not difficult to understand why, either.
Dawn Starns, NFIB’s Louisiana state director, told Cenla Broadcasting, “A lot of things contribute to that [lack of optimism]. Government regulation, the budget, the uncertainty of the economy.” Starns also added that she thinks many businesses are in “wait and see” mode until it’s clear what Governor John Bel Edwards will do in office.
A recent Forbes article written by contributor Patrick Gleason, director of state affairs at Americans for Tax Reform, was similarly pessimistic about Gov. Bel Edwards’ projected performance at the helm.
While other nearby states are cutting taxes, enacting regulatory reform and passing other free market reforms, Gov. Bel Edwards is expected to push for less business-friendly changes, such as Medicaid expansion, higher taxes and a minimum wage increase.
“The consequences for Louisiana taxpayers and the state’s economic competitiveness in the coming years could be dire,” Gleason wrote.
Gleason also noted that Gov. Bel Edwards’ voting record in the state legislature earned terrible ratings from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (29 percent) as well as from NFIB (32 percent).
