The governor wasn’t the only one trying to influence the votes of lawmakers in the second special session.
The Louisiana Manufacturers Political Action Committee purchased more than 3,000 radio spots that urged voters to contact lawmakers and Gov. John Bel Edwards to ask them to oppose tax increases.
“The state has increased business taxes recently to the point that new capital investments and the creation of new jobs will suffer,” said Greg Bowser, LAMP’s administrator and executive vice president of the Louisiana Chemical Assoc. “Billions of dollars in announced but not yet started projects are at risk because these new taxes were not anticipated.”
Americans for Prosperity’s Louisiana chapter dropped mail pieces in the House districts of six Republicans who have been friendly to Gov. John Bel Edwards’ revenue-raising agenda. State director John Kay said grassroots operations were underway in other districts. The mail pieces warned voters: “DANGER! TAX HIKES AHEAD.”
The pieces also tagged lawmakers for their support of sales tax changes in the first special session. Some of the House members targeted prepared a formal reaction.
The House seemed to be seeing more action than the Senate. Freshmen lawmakers, for example, heard concerns from Republican donors and influencers such as Lane Grigsby of Baton Rouge — sometimes in personal meetings.
The Louisiana Republican Party distributed the House and Senate switchboard phone numbers to its grassroots lists.
On email sent during the session read, “Call your legislators and urge them to VOTE NO on all tax increases during the special session…”
On the other end of the spectrum, the Louisiana Assoc. of Educators, one of the state’s two teachers unions, spent $60,000 on an outreach campaign to convince lawmakers to raise taxes to help fund education needs.
Predicting a last-minute debate over hospital funding, the Louisiana Hospital Assoc. launched a television, radio and social media ad campaign. Starting with imagery of the Capitol and talk of politics in Baton Rouge, the spots focused on the impact of budget cuts on jobs and health care access in Louisiana.
LHA spokesperson Mike Thompson said hospital care has been cut across the state by more than 25 percent, or $1.4 billion, since 2009.
In what amounted to a public information campaign, an advocacy group promoted the idea of a higher cigarette tax during the second special session even though it wasn’t on the governor’s call. Because it wasn’t, the topic couldn’t be voted on. Invest in a Healthy Louisiana, partly funded by the Rapides Foundation, made the buy. “We still want to point out that this is a relatively painless approach to raising lots of money — $200 million — and addressing health outcomes,” said Randy Hayden, a consultant with the group.
Hayden said the recent increases have only set Louisiana taxes at $1.08 per pack — significantly less than the national average of $1.61. He added that polling shows support for an additional tax of $1.25 per pack.
The Invest in a Healthy Louisiana Coalition consists of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Assoc., American Lung Assoc. in Louisiana, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living and other health advocacy groups.
Kennedy Opposed Special Session
Treasurer John Kennedy went on WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge and more or less told the Legislature to ignore Gov. John Bel Edwards’ call for new revenue until they can get a handle on how much money the state will receive from recent tax changes.
“The conservative, smart thing to do is shut this special session down,” Kennedy said.
At the time, conservatives in the House were still hoping Kennedy would move forward with a plan from Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, to reroute $74 million in departmental and agency cash from statutory and constitutional dedications. The House passed a resolution asking for just that.
The Senate and governor were opposed, but Kennedy believes he may be able to pull the trigger on his own authority and without any further legislative action.
“I want to make a rational decision and I don’t want it to be politicized,” Kennedy said. “Our attorneys are researching it.”
The idea is that if the Legislature shorts a critical or popular government service — like TOPS, for example — Kennedy could jump in at the last moment and make the transfer. To be certain, if he does it, Kennedy would be the only candidate for the U.S. Senate to claim he personally saved TOPS.
Forces Coalesce Around Richmond
It’s good to be the incumbent in the 2nd Congressional District.
While facing a challenge from Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden, Congressman Cedric Richmond managed to secure an official endorsement from the Louisiana Democrat Party in May.
And it doesn’t stop there. A source with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee told LaPolitics recently that if, by some twist of fate, Richmond starts to look vulnerable, the organization will be ready to step in.
Also last month, Louisiana AFL-CIO President Louis Reine told those attending a labor breakfast in New Orleans that his group has decided to endorse Richmond’s re-election bid.
This news arrives with some sting for Holden, who has always maintained a good relationship with labor.
Pro-JBE Group Locked, Loaded
While Rebuild Louisiana will be on TV with a Medicaid expansion commercial supporting Gov. John Bel Edwards, organizers say they are looking beyond this tumultuous political year and planning to stay active through 2019.
Trey Ourso, director of the dark money nonprofit, said Rebuild has played quietly on the minimum wage and equal pay issues in the regular session with targeted digital ads and social media.
It also published an Edwards-friendly poll earlier this year.
Those kinds of efforts will continue into the second special session. The broadcast launch will give the group it’s highest dose of visibility yet.
There’s a big push on the fundraising side, too. Roughly 40 donors attended an event last month at the City Club in Baton Rouge, where Edwards spoke.
Clock Running On Sales Tax Flub
Just because the Legislature seems poised to fix a number of unintended consequences from the first special session in regard to the temporary suspension of sales tax exemptions, that doesn’t mean groups like the Girl Scouts are off the hook for paying the additional tax.
According to Kizzy A. Payton, press secretary for the Louisiana Dept. of Revenue, those changes are “in effect, and state sales tax should be collected upon those transactions.”
Money would have to be paid from April 1 to the effective date of the legislation.
Candidates In Special Elections Emerge
There are now at least three potential candidates either looking at running, or being encouraged to run, in the soon-to-be-open House District 85, which is being vacated by Rep. Bryan Adams, R-Gretna.
Thrown into the mix are two attorneys — Jefferson Parish School Board member Mark Morgan, a Republican, and Gretna City Councilman Joe Morino, who is said to have district-level support ready to go.
There’s also Stephen Leonard, a Republican real estate agent who lost to Adams in a previous House race.
In the neighboring House District 80 in Jefferson Parish, where Rep. Joe Lopinto, R-Metairie, is stepping down, UNO professor Polly Thomas has been seen working the Capitol crowd.
No other names have surfaced.
It may have helped that Thomas dropped out of a legislative race last fall to endorse her opponent, Sen. Conrad Appel, R-Metairie. In a brief interview, Appel said he has already endorsed Thomas for the House District 80 seat.
North Louisiana Delegation Taking Shape
Thanks to a resolution passed by Rep. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, this session there is now an official North Louisiana Delegation in the House.
Efforts are moving much slower in the Senate, but the piney north folks in the lower chamber are making progress with their new outfit.
Rep. Thomas Carmody, R-Shreveport, has taken a lead role on coordinating efforts and regular weekly meetings are being held. The next moves will be to elect officers for the delegation and draft bylaws. But hiring an executive director may be a ways off. “I would love to see at one time us get together and get behind hiring someone,” Carmody said.
Right now, the real value for north Louisiana legislators in the House has been information-based. Asking questions as a group has facilitated quicker responses. And it has kept a group of lawmakers with common interests on the same page.
Rantz Will Not Shave His Goatee
In what is easily one of the most quirky campaign videos of the cycle, and the only one that was filmed in a bathroom, health care executive Gus Rantz talks about running for the 3rd Congressional District while shaving.
But the spot is really about his goatee. Or, rather, what it stands for in the Acadiana-based race.
“Industry insiders — all the experts — told me, you know, what you gotta do is you gotta get rid of your goatee if you’re gonna be elected,” Rantz says in the spot while applying shaving cream.
As he shaves, he explains that he had his goatee when he met his wife and while he was in law school.
“So know this,” Rantz continues, “the day I shave this goatee is the first time I’m not being honest with you and I’m just like every other politician.”
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.
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