Black Caucus willing to accept half cent sales tax

Drew White and Paul Braun

Some members of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus stated their willingness to accept a half-cent increase in the state sales tax proposed Tuesday by Gov. John Bel Edwards, increasing the chance for a compromise with Republicans in a second special session.

Caucus members also said in interviews that they supported other revenue-raising measures that Edwards unveiled Tuesday as the Legislature began a second special session to try to resolve a projected $648 million shortfall in the state budget.

Caucus members were opposed earlier this year to retaining any part of the extra penny of sales tax that expires this summer, and their demands to restructure state income tax brackets or eliminate some itemized deductions for wealthier state residents helped to lead to the collapse of the first special session in March.

Read the story in WWL-TV.