JEFF TALK -- 4 Ballot Amendments: What You Need to Know

The Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee (JPDEC) will host 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, a Jeff Talk discussion via Zoom on Facebook Live – a discussion that will deepen your knowledge of four amendments on the ballot for the Nov. 13 election (early voting starts Oct. 30).

Guest panelists will be State Rep. Kyle Green (D-Marrero), a member of the House Commerce Committee; and Jan Moller, director of the Louisiana Budget project, which analyzes the state budget and how it affects citizens.

The amendments offer some good, some bad, and – potentially – some ugly:

 AMENDMENT ONE would streamline how taxes are collected and cut red tape for businesses that operate in multiple parishes. Louisiana is one of few states without a statewide collection system. JPDEC says vote YES.

AMENDMENT TWO would enshrine into the state constitution lower income tax rates that primarily benefit our wealthiest citizens, costing the state about $25 million annually and potentially making it harder for Louisiana over time to find ways to properly fund priorities. JPDEC says vote NO.

AMENDMENT THREE would allow certain outlier levee district boards to assess up to 5 mills for flood protection, joining other district boards across the state that have this power. JPDEC says vote YES.

AMENDMENT FOUR would allow the governor and legislature to raid 10% (up from 5%) of protected funds when there’s a budget shortfall. Because this could be regularly and cynically used as a crutch to solve budget challenges and could allow some funds to be gutted, JPDEC says vote NO. 

         What do Jan Moller and Rep. Kyle Green recommend? Tune in 7 p.m. Tuesday to find out. Many local elected officials oppose Amendment One. Amendment Four also has its supporters.

To join the discussion, like the Jeff Democrats’ Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/JPDECfacebook. You’ll be notified before the event starts.