Louisiana legislators had more pressing concerns.
Jindal junked a Reagan quote and used a family anecdote to sell his tax plan. But the truth poorly serves his argument that taxes are behind the state's brain drain.
The amnesty plan was proposed after Gov. Jindal blocked a proposal to trim business tax breaks.
Yes, he cut taxes, but George W. Bush's job-creation record was atrocious.
How stunning was Jindal's setback? Consider: A GOP governor couldn’t convince a GOP Legislature in a red state to help him cut income taxes — his No. 1 priority.
“The will wasn’t there to prolong the agony,” said Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-Lafayette, about legislators' decision to table the tax bills.
The revenue offsets in his initial plan were always completely negotiable as long as they yielded an income tax repeal. That's why it kept changing.
Jindal now seems willing to back a plan — any plan — that repeals the state income tax.
“I just don’t believe that’s a prudent thing to do,” said state Rep. Joel Robideaux, commenting on proposals to phase out income tax on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Kleckley says the House may still pass a revamp of the tax system. He notes that four legislators have put forward competing measures: “All of them may be incorporated into the governor’s plan, or pieces of them can be used.” But until the revenue estimates stabilize, Kleckley says the Jindal plan doesn't even have the support to survive a committee vote.