Teacher pay raises won’t be the only thing voters will be deciding in next month’s constitutional amendment election. There are four other amendments on the ballot, including one that would allow local governments to reduce or eliminate inventory taxes on businesses in exchange for a one-time payment. Steven Procopio, the president and CEO of the Public Affairs Research Council, says while the tax is universally disliked by the business community, getting rid of it is not that simple.
“A lot of businesses say it is anti-competitive because the taxes have to be paid on your stock, whether or not you’re making a profit. On the other side, this is a local tax that locals get money for. So the locals, if they want to do this, they’re going to have to figure out can they afford it?” Procopio said.
Procopio says another amendment on the ballot is whether the mandatory retirement age for judges should be raised from 70 to 75 – the third time that this has been put to voters.
“For some, you think judges ought to be able to serve a little more because you want their talent and experience, or you think ‘No, we need people in there that are fresh or younger,'” Procopio said.
Voters will also decide whether to authorize the creation of the St. George Community School System in East Baton Rouge Parish. Procopio says the only reason that this is going to voters statewide is because that’s what the rules say.
“Anytime there’s a new school district, it’s just the way our constitution is set up, it is a constitutional amendment. And constitutional amendments need the approval of the state,” Procopio explained.
But for the most part, the outcome of that vote would have no impact on anyone living outside East Baton Rouge Parish.
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