4-11-17
A PROPOSED HALF CENT, TEN YEAR SALES TAX FOR LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOLS HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL ENDORSEMENTS RECENTLY. YESTERDAY, THE LAFAYETTE PARISH ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS ANNOUNCED THEIR SUPPORT. LAST WEEK, THE SCOTT CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL PASSED RESOLUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE TAX, JOINING THE BROUSSARD AND DUSON CITY COUNCILS, WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE SO. THE TAX WILL BE ON THE APRIL 29TH BALLOT IN LAFAYETTE PARISH.
THIS AFTERNOON AT TWO, THE LAKE CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON LAST WEEK’S QUADRUPLE SHOOTING. 22-YEAR-OLD CODY LASTRAPES WAS KILLED AND THREE OTHER PEOPLE WERE SHOT. IT HAPPENED IN THE TWO THOUSAND BLOCK OF TULIP STREET LAST THURSDAY IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SOME NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS TOLD KPLC TV THAT SOMEONE APPROACHED THE CAR THE FOUR WERE SITTING IN AND OPENED FIRE.
The Louisiana House has two new members. Reps. John Stefanski and Joe Stagni were sworn in Monday after winning elections earlier this year to two vacant seats.
Stefanski, a Republican from Crowley, takes over the seat previously represented by Jack Montoucet, a Democrat who left when Gov. John Bel Edwards appointed him secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Stefanski is a lawyer and political newcomer.
Louisiana’s Democratic governor told the Republican-controlled state Legislature that long-term tax reform is needed to fix “structural deficits” in the state operating budget. Gov. John Bel Edwards said in his speech Monday on the legislative session’s opening day: “This is the big moment.” His proposal would replace $1.3 billion in temporary taxes expiring in mid-2018, while also raising $400 million for next year’s budget in part by raising taxes on businesses. The central business tax proposed, a tax on a company’s gross receipts, has faced resistance so far.
Gov. John Bel Edwards is tweaking a new business tax he’s proposing, hoping to shrink criticism that it would hit some companies too hard. When the Democratic governor described the measure to lawmakers Monday, the concept had already been changed from how it was originally explained less than two weeks ago.
Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says the changes are based on feedback from business organizations and lawmakers. The new proposal would have different formulas for companies that file taxes through individual income taxpayer forms and for high-volume businesses with low profit margins, like grocery stores.
THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT HOSTED A SECOND COMMUNITY WALK IN THE MCCOMB VEAZEY NEIGHBORHOOD LAST NIGHT. POLICE CHIEF TOBY AGUILLARD, DEPUTY CHIEF REGINALD THOMAS AND OTHER OFFICERS TOOK PART IN THE WALK, WHICH WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO VISIT WITH RESIDENTS AND HEAR THEIR CONCERNS. AGUILLARD SAYS HE THINKS IT’S OPENING THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITIZENS. HE CALLED LAST NIGHT’S EVENT, WHICH BEGAN AT GETHSEMANE CHURCH, A SUCCESS.
THERE ARE FOUR SEMIFINALISTS REMAINING TO BECOME THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY. THEY INCLUDE THE CURRENT CHANCELLOR AT SOWELA, NEIL ASPINWALL, MCNEESE ACCOUNTING PROFESSOR DARRELL BURKEL, MCNEESE PROVOST JEANNE DABOVAL, AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT AT FORT HAYES STATE UNIVERSITY MIRTA MARTIN. TODAY THE FOUR WILL BE INTERVIEWED BY THE SEARCH COMMITTEE BEGINNING AT NINE THIS MORNING AT STOKES AUDITORIUM, AND IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THE INTERVIEWS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
A STANDOFF BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND AN ARMED SUSPECT LASTED SEVERAL HOURS YESTERDAY. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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