“The bottom line, the “tax and spenders” won. They did. When the Governor wants something badly enough, he gets it,” said State Treasurer John Kennedy.
Straight from the Treasurer’s mouth, after the second special session wrapped up Thursday night, Governor John Bel Edwards said many critical programs will get slashed like the TOPS Scholarship Program, but Treasurer John Kennedy still does not believe that’s going to happen.
“Governor said he was going to shut down LSU Football, didn’t happen. One of his people said he was going to shut down Nicholls State University, isn’t going to happen. The city is going to have to pull the plug on some of the kidney dialysis machines, didn’t do it. He said if you don’t pass the personal income tax increase on the super rich, which he defines making $100,000 or more, I’m going to eliminate TOPS, didn’t do it. We fully funded TOPS for the first semester,” explained Kennedy.
The Treasurer has been an opponent of most of Governor Edwards ideas to fix the budget situation, especially when it comes to raising taxes.
“Largest tax increase in Louisiana history, breathtaking. Next year’s budget, which starts July 1, will have $2 billion more in taxpayer money to spend,” said Kennedy. “I mean, this is just a list of all the taxes and fees they’ve raised, and you heard the Governor at his press conference, he still wants more.”
Kennedy believes even though the legislature has come to an agreement, as of now, it is the people who are going to feel the impact.
“We need to stop worrying about how much money the government has to spend, and start worrying about how much money the working families in our state are going to have to spend because they’re hurting, and they’re going to be hurting more after these taxes kick in. These taxes and fees will touch every single Louisianian,” concluded the Treasurer.
On another note, according to a new poll, Treasurer Kennedy is in the lead when it comes to the race for Senate. Behind him is Commissioner Foster Campbell. The Treasurer said he is feeling confident and predicts there will be a runoff between the two of them.