NFIB State Director Dawn Starns has released a statement on House Bill 500, legislation calling for a state constitutional convention to overhaul Louisiana’s tax system:
“Our system is broken. We’re struggling with how to make up the difference when $1 billion in state taxes expire on June 30. The Legislature is about to meet in special session to address the state’s looming budget crisis. It will be the sixth special session on fiscal issues in two years.
“Our members believe the root of the problem is our state constitution,” Starns said. “Our current constitution was passed in 1973. It calls for 35 dedicated funds that make it unnecessarily difficult for legislators to pass a balanced budget. Our constitution is 10 times longer than the U.S. Constitution and has been amended 189 times. Our members believe the best solution would be to replace the 1973 constitution with a more streamlined document that gives the Legislature the flexibility it needs to pass a budget and manage state government.
“That’s why we’re urging the Legislature to vote ‘yes’ on H.B. 500,” Starns said. “Louisiana needs a clear, sensible constitution to help us grow and prosper in the 21st century.”
NFIB is the nation’s leading small-business association. To learn more about NFIB in Louisiana, visit www.NFIB.com/LA and follow @NFIB_LA on Twitter.
