John Bel Edwards on Tax Reform

We can make tax reforms but they must be revenue neutral

Reform tax structure or face $1.3B fiscal cliff in 2018

Last year, you created a task force that spent months studying the most responsible way to reform our tax and budget structure. What we found from this review is that the options are no easier, or even substantially different, than the ones we have considered in the past. I fully support the task force's recommendations for structural tax reform. Many of the recommendations of the task force were the very same solutions I proposed last year. So now we have a choice. We can simply go down the same road we have travelled time and again--hoping for different results. Or we can chart a new path.

Reduce sales tax; eliminate federal income tax deductibility

Opposed empty tax credit to offset tax increases

Analysis by The Baton Rouge Advocate: Passage of the SAVE fund was crucial because Jindal was virtually certain to veto the budget if the Legislature hadn't approved the measure. The SAVE plan will impose a fee of almost $1,600 per student that the students won't actually pay because the plan will create tax credits--phantom tax credits in the eyes of critics--that offset the fee. The tax credits allow Jindal to offset all of the tax measures approved by legislators.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 59-44-2, Vote #1102 on Jun/11/15; State Rep. John Bel Edwards voted NO; Passed Senate 30-9-0, Vote #1107 on Jun/11/15; Signed by Governor Bobby Jindal on Jun/19/15

Keep the estate tax; don't keep Bush tax cuts

A: No.

Q: Do you support making President Bush's tax cuts permanent?

A: No.

Edwards indicates the following actions on levels of taxation:
• Greatly Decrease taxes on income less than $25,000
• Slightly Decrease taxes on income between $25,000 and $75,000
• Maintain Status of taxes on income between $75,000-$150,000
• Slightly Increase taxes on income Over $150,000