Third Special Session starts June 18th
Sponsored ⋅ Paid for by Louisiana House Republican Delegation ·
Governor Edwards,
On behalf of the Republican Delegation of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the millions of Louisiana residents we represent, we ask that you put careful consideration into the scope and inclusions of your call for our third extraordinary session of 2018 to include structural budgetary reform and cost savings measures in lieu of taxes alone.
While it is your right as the chief executive of the state to set the agenda for any special legislative session that you call, we ask that you consider the results of the two previous special sessions and know that our constituents continue to resoundingly tell us that state government should live within its means.
We agree in the necessity of funding our essential priorities. We also believe that it is necessary to enact transparent budgeting and spending policies and reduce the size of state government.
We sincerely hope that you will consider supporting and including the following bipartisan solutions in your call. To ask for taxes without reform could very well yield a similar result to previous attempts at the same.
- Sign SB13 (Ward) - The Louisiana Checkbook.
- Reconsider HB12 & HB15 from the first special session of 2018 (Barras) - Provides for changes in the expenditure limit calculation.
- Give the legislative auditor the authority to audit the records of any state agency for the purpose of auditing programs that expend taxpayer funds and ensuring legal compliance.
Before we enact yet another tax, it is imperative that the taxpayers see that you are willing to allow the legislature the ability to identify areas of waste, fraud, and abuse in addition to allowing for a transparent and savings-minded approach to government spending.
We remain committed to the principles our constituents sent us to Baton Rouge to stand for. We also believe our constituents expect us to work for solutions that ensure Louisiana government funds its critical priorities, as demonstrated by our continued efforts to meet you more than half-way. We remain committed to working in good faith for the betterment of Louisiana.
