Today, there was a vote on HB 778 by State Rep. Karen St. Germain (D-Plaquemine). The bill would’ve imposed a 1 cent sales tax and dedicated it to roads.

The first problem with the tax hike is an obvious one, we already have a way to fund roads through the gas tax. Having a sales tax in addition to a gas tax destroys the whole concept of paying for roads for user fees. It makes sense drivers pay for using the roads. However, everyone pays a sales tax, even if they don’t drive.

The other problem is that Louisianians have already been nailed with over $650 million in tax increases so far this session. To say this is not the right time to nail Louisianians with a $792 million tax increase on top of all that is the understatement of the year.

The bill actually got a support of the majority of legislators, but failed 52-42 because it needed two-thirds support. 23 RINOs voted in favor of this tax increase on all Louisianians. Here’s a list of them:

Bryan Adams
Taylor Barras
Johnny Berthelot
Stuart Bishop
Chris Broadwater
Richie Burford
Henry Burns
Thomas Carmody
Steve Carter
Bubba Chaney
Patrick Connick
Gordon Dove
Franklin Foil
Darrell Ourso
Joe Harrison
Frank Hoffmann
Chuck Kleckley
Eddie Lambert
Erich Ponti
Steve Pugh
Clay Schexnayder
Tom Willmott

On this vote, these guys were to the left of John Bel Edwards. He actually voted no to this bill.

It’s even worse than just voting to raise taxes for a couple of these guys. Two of these guys changed their vote in order to deceive their constituents.

Richie Burford and Henry Burns changed their votes from “yea” to “nay.” Here’s the roll call vote as it is right now on the legislative website. You will see both Burford and Burns in the “nays.”

However, a Hayride reader sent us the original roll call vote.

If you want conservative policies enacted, you need to elect conservatives and not just Republicans.