Phase-out of sales tax rejected by Senate panel

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A state Senate committee has rejected a plan to phase out a temporary sales tax over three years. The 0.45% sales tax was approved in 2018 and is set to expire in 2025. Rep. Tony Bacala of Prairieville had proposed dropping the tax to 0.30% in mid-2023. It would have dropped to 0.15% the following year and disappeared as scheduled in 2025. The Advocate reports that the Senate tax committee decided Monday, without objection, to keep in committee. Bacala said phasing out the tax would avoid a sudden $450 million revenue drop. Opponents of the bill have objected to cutting revenue before the tax is set to expire.