Sound Off Louisiana

Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) President Stephen Waguespack

Appearing before the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday, February 4, 2019, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) President, Stephen Waguespack, emphasized the importance of the Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP), tort reform, and a new proposal for a “judicial scorecard” as three critical items required for Louisiana’s existing businesses to succeed and expand as well as encourage out-of-state businesses to consider expanding in Louisiana.

Let’s take a look at what he had to say and some of the questions he fielded on same (a couple of which were downright hostile and/or unprofessional entailing ITEP):

Waguespack stresses ITEP’s importance.

Waguespack assesses the current state of ITEP, its “local control” and the “chaos” he says resulted from Gov. John Bel Edwards’ 2016 Executive Order on ITEP.

Waguespack manages to get drawn into a 4:22 dialogue with Times Picayune reporter Julie O’Donohue entailing her concerns over one centralized local contact for ITEP.

Waguespack responds to a question on how candidates in the 2019 election cycle, particularly candidates for Governor, should handle the rhetoric surrounding ITEP.

Waguespack responds to a hostile and combative question entailing “examples of companies who’ve said they passed on Louisiana due to ITEP in the last 12 months.”

Waguespack responds to a hostile and combative question posed by Remi Delouche, who seemed to go out of his way to stress he is a “former long-time LABI member” and simply could not contain his personal disdain for LABI and Stephen Waguespack.

 
Waguespack provides his thoughts on tort reform in Louisiana and responds to two questions on same:  one by Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns and the other by J. R. Skains, a writer for the Piney Woods Journal.

Waguespack provides details on a new LABI initiative:  a Judicial Scorecard.  He also responds to a question by The Advocate’s Lanny Keller entailing same.

CLICK HERE for Mr. Waguespack’s presentation in its entirety, and CLICK HERE to see the LABI handout Waguespack provided to those in attendance at the meeting.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.

32-Year U. S. Navy Veteran Bob Bell (R-Baton Rouge), who is challenging House dual term-limited candidates Steve Carter (R-Baton Rouge) and Franklin Foil (R-Baton Rouge) for the open Senate District 16 seat presently occupied by Sen. Dan Claitor, who is also term-limited.

In our continuing efforts to assist candidates for the 2019 Louisiana Legislative races who are firmly committed to defeating any candidates seeking office who have supported Gov. Edwards’ tax increase measures, Sound Off Louisiana today (Thursday, January 31, 2019) issued its second  official endorsement for the upcoming campaigns:  32-Year Navy Veteran Bob Bell.

Bell, who is seeking to win the Louisiana Senate District 16 election, is opposed by two House term-limited opponents:  Rep. Steve Carter of House District 68 and Rep. Franklin Foil of House District 66.  We welcome our subscribers to visit NoPennyRenewal’s endorsement page for Mr. Bell, which is replicated below:

Official Endorsement:

Senate District # 16:  32-Year retired Navy veteran Bob Bell

Note:  Bell has executed a Contract with Louisiana to demonstrate his resolve to NOT raise taxes!

In his efforts to defeat dual House term-limited incumbents Steve Carter (R-Baton Rouge) and Franklin Foil (R-Baton Rouge):

Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge (Term-limited) District 68
Phone:  (225)362-5305  [email protected] 

CARTER’S votes on JBE’s sales-tax increase measures:  He voted YES on 2/28/18, YES on 3/4/18,  YES on 5/25/18, YES on  5/28/18, and YES on 6/22/18.

As the above video references, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns has sent 4-5 letters to Carter over his 12-year tenure as Burns’ House Representative.  One of those correspondences outlined some $40 million of itemized pork-barrel spending which Burns felt should be eliminated before taxes are raised.  As Burns indicated in the video, Carter did not make any response whatsoever to Burns’ letter.  CLICK HERE to see Burns providing Carter with an opportunity to defend his attacks on Americans for Prosperity (which is depicted in the video above) and Carter’s response to same.

Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge (Term-limited) District 70
Phone:  (225)342-6777 [email protected]

FOIL’S Votes on JBE’s sales tax measures:  He voted YES on 2/28/18, YES on 3/4/18,  YES on 5/25/18, YES on 5/28/18, and YES on 6/22/18.

Disclosure:

Neither Robert Burns, Sound Off Louisiana nor any affiliate of same received one red cent in compensation for any endorsements made; furthermore, no expense associated with any travel to videotape a candidate for an interview is being paid by the candidate. 

Our endorsements are made SOLELY and EXCLUSIVELY based off our commitment to ensuring the Louisiana Legislature’s composition is NOT conducive to ANY more tax increases after the 2019 election cycle has concluded.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.

Keith Baudin, R-St. Martinville, who is running for Louisiana State Representative for District 46 against incumbent Mike Huval, R-Breaux Bridge.

Sound Off Louisiana subscribers may recall our feature from last week in which we touted the overhaul of one of our sister websites, No Penny Renewal, to assist challengers in their efforts to defeat incumbent Louisiana Legislators who voted in favor of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ sales tax measures.

Today (Tuesday, January 29, 2019), we commence with making our first official endorsement of one such challenger:  Keith Baudin (R-St. Martinville).

Mr. Baudin is challenging incumbent State Representative Mike Huval (R-Breaux Bridge) for Louisiana House District 46.

The NoPennyRenewal website featured above now has a formal endorsement page for each individual candidate we endorse which features a brief interview with the challenger of an incumbent who supported Edwards’ tax increase measures.  Additionally, we provide a profile of the incumbent complete with direct links of that incumbent’s votes of “YES” on Gov. Edwards’ tax increase measures in order for viewers to confirm that the incumbent, Mike Huval in this instance, did in fact cast such votes.

We now replicate our first endorsement on the page, Keith Baudin in his efforts to defeat incumbent Mike Huval:

Official Endorsement:

House District # 46:  Keith Baudin

In his efforts to defeat incumbent Mike Huval, who is profiled below together with his votes in favor of Gov. Edwards’ tax hike measures:

Rep. Mike Huval, R-Breaux Bridge, District 46
Phone:  (337) 332-3331  [email protected]

HUVAL:  Voted YES on 5/25/18 (1/3 cent sales tax renewal) and YES on 5/28/18.

Stay tuned folks, we are expecting to make more endorsements in coming days and weeks to help ensure that Louisiana citizens are NOT subjected to more irresponsible tax increase measures after the conclusion of the 2019 election cycle has been completed!

Disclosure:

Neither Robert Burns, Sound Off Louisiana, nor any affiliate of same received one red cent in compensation for any endorsements; furthermore, no expense associated with any travel to videotape a candidate for an interview is being paid by the candidate. 

Our endorsements are made SOLELY and EXCLUSIVELY based off our commitment to ensuring the Louisiana Legislature’s composition is NOT conducive to ANY more tax increases after the 2019 election cycle has concluded.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.