The Latest: Gov. Edwards says long-term tax reform needed

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Latest on the regular legislative session (all times local):

1:35 p.m.

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. And many Republicans, particularly House leaders, have shown little interest in a tax rewrite that involves raising more money for the treasury.

Edwards says tax loopholes have allowed many of the state’s most profitable corporations to avoid paying their “fair share.”

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1:25 p.m.

Gov. John Bel Edwards brought special guests with him to the Louisiana Capitol for the opening day of the legislative session.

The Democratic governor on Monday introduced lawmakers to Daniel Wesley, a high school student from Central who was shot twice and hit with a vehicle as he tried to help a domestic violence victim who later died from her injuries. Wesley had multiple surgeries and recovered.

Also attending the governor’s speech to the House and Senate was Tyler Wheeler, a wildlife and fisheries enforcement agent who was shot in the head during a traffic stop. Wheeler is still recovering from his injuries, but was able to attend Monday’s speech.

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1:15 p.m.

Gov. John Bel Edwards is urging bipartisanship as he asked the state House and Senate to rewrite Louisiana’s tax laws to provide more budget stability and end cycles of cuts.

The Democratic governor told a Republican-controlled Legislature on Monday that he doesn’t want Louisiana to look like Washington, with partisan politics hindering debates.

Edwards said in his state of the state speech on the opening day of the legislative session: “It’s not working for them, and it will not work for us.”

Edwards is pushing a tax overhaul that aims to end the budget gaps by more heavily taxing businesses.

Republicans, particularly House GOP leaders, haven’t embraced the Democratic governor’s ideas. Rather than support a tax plan to raise more dollars for the treasury, they’re suggesting reductions in government spending.

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12:20 p.m.

Louisiana lawmakers have opened their latest legislative session, this one a regular session where debate again centers on budget cuts and spending levels.

The House and Senate gaveled in Monday.

Gov. John Bel Edwards will make his case for rewriting Louisiana’s tax laws in the afternoon. But there’s no consensus emerging so far about how to remedy the budget instability.

Edwards is pushing a tax overhaul that aims to end the budget gaps by more heavily taxing businesses.

Republicans, particularly House GOP leaders, haven’t embraced the Democratic governor’s ideas. Rather than support a tax plan to raise more dollars for the treasury, they’re suggesting reductions in government spending. But they haven’t offered a roadmap so far of what programs they’d like to eliminate or what services they want to cut.

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5 a.m.

Gov. John Bel Edwards will make his case for rewriting Louisiana’s tax laws to legislators slogging back for another session where debate focuses on budget cuts and spending levels.

Louisiana’s two-month regular session opens at noon Monday, with little consensus emerging about how to remedy the budget instability.

Edwards will lay out his proposals to the House and Senate an hour later, pushing a tax overhaul that aims to end the budget gaps by more heavily taxing businesses.

Republicans, particularly House GOP leaders, haven’t embraced the Democratic governor’s ideas. Rather than support a tax plan to raise more dollars for the treasury, they’re suggesting reductions in government spending. But they haven’t offered a roadmap so far of what programs they’d like to eliminate or what services they want to cut.