Governor John Bel Edwards is planning new ways to make Louisianians part with their money. The Times-Picayune is reporting that Edwards is going to ask the Legislature in the April session for a 1 cent sales tax increase.

The state sales tax would go up from 4 cents to 5 cents. That’s in addition to whatever amount local and parish governments charge on top of that. This would make Louisiana’s combined sales tax rate among the highest in the country.

Gov. John Bel Edwards is proposing to increase the sales tax by 25 percent on April 1 — adding an extra penny to the existing 4-cent levy — to get the state’s immediate budget crisis under control.

He also wants to tap the state “rainy day” fund and use money from the BP oil spill settlement to help close an immediate $750 million budget deficit at the state level. The governor’s proposal also called for redirecting 10 percent of most the state’s dedicated discretionary funds — where businesses or citizens deposit money for a particular service — and using it for other purposes.

At this point, furloughs for state workers are not on the table, according to Jay Dardenne, Edwards’ chief budget officer.

It should be no surprise RINO Jay Dardenne is leading the charge on this. After all, Dardenne was the one candidate for governor who never publicly ruled out tax increases. Edwards did however. He even claimed to have never voted for a tax increase.

John Bel Edwards has been lying to the people of Louisiana since he ran for governor. It should be no surprise that his campaign was built on nothing but lies.

This tax hike will hurt all Louisiana families and citizens. Which means Edwards will likely be forced to walk it back, if not abandon it all together.

Instead, I think this is a bait and switch to get the oil processing fee. The oil processing fee will be sold to Louisianians as the ultimate panacea for all of Louisiana’s budget woes.

Just watch and see.