Many lawmakers have spent the past several years trying to convince the citizens of Louisiana that their state government has a revenue problem. It does not. Rather, the state has a spending problem—one caused in large part by a governance problem.

To put it bluntly, local and state government in Louisiana have a dysfunctional relationship, one in which each infringes on the autonomy of the other. Local governments spend much time and energy collecting revenues for the state—a task more efficiently accomplished at the state level—even as they lack the full power to manage the revenue they collect, due to state-imposed restrictions.

Instead of raising taxes yet again, Louisiana lawmakers should reform the relationship between the state and municipal governments. They should start by eliminating the sources of funding that encourage questionable or wasteful spending by parishes. They should give municipalities greater control over their own budgets and revenue streams. And they should reform and centralize tax administration, creating a more efficient environment for retailers and businesses, while broadening the sales tax base in ways that should allow for lower overall rates.

This reformed system would enhance government’s accountability to voters. Just as states function as “laboratories of democracy,” so too would parishes—and the local voters that elect parish officials—have the freedom and flexibility to choose the level of taxes and services they wish to see in their area. Rather than competing to command the most funding from the state, parishes could instead compete to offer the most pro-growth environment for business—one way to bring jobs, and residents, back to Louisiana.

 

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