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Another Louisiana House committee has endorsed changing the state constitution to centralize sales tax collection.
The committee focused on civil law and procedure unanimously agreed Tuesday to send the bill to the full House. The House tax-writing committee signed off last week with only one objection.
House Bill 199 by Republican House Speaker Clay Schexnayder would create an eight-member board to oversee tax collections statewide. Traditionally under Louisiana’s unusual system, local officials have collected local taxes, which they have argued ensures they get their revenue in a timely manner and can spend the money they way local taxpayers and voters want it spent.
Michael Ranatza, executive director of the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, conceded that not all of his members are on board, but he said a clear majority voted to support the change because local officials would have an equal say with the state.
Sheriffs and state organizations representing school boards, police juries and municipalities each would have a representative.
Streamlining and simplifying sales tax collection is the top priority in this year’s fiscal session for Schexnayder and many business advocates, who say the current system is overly complex for taxpayers to navigate. Business owners remain concerned about having to face multiple audits even under the new system; the legislation directs the new commission to streamline the audit process but doesn’t specify the details.

Democrats playing in the runoff election in the New Orleans-based 2nd Congressional District, which extends into Assumption Parish, are trying to tear each other apart over alleged connections to conservative figureheads like former President Donald Trump and former Gov. Bobby Jindal. The war of personalities has mostly taken place in direct mail pieces, but the tactic of tethering a Democrat to Trump, in particular, could become part of a national trend in 2022 as regularly-scheduled congressional elections heat up.
The 2nd District’s position as a test case on this front is notable, especially since the race between state Sen. Troy Carter and state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson could potentially be settled by Republican voters.
While Carter enjoyed a healthy lead in the primary, the endorsement of Peterson by third-place finisher Gary Chambers afforded the runoff contenders equal footing in this second round — and that may eventually be enough to cut the Democratic vote right in half. We’ll know for sure soon enough. The high-profile runoff is scheduled for this weekend — on Saturday, April 24.
The Trump card played by Democrats in this special election is far from novel. From about 2012 to 2017, Republicans running against fellow Republicans in open and party primaries around the country used a similar mantra that substituted connections to former President Barack Obama, rather than Trump. Anti-Obama rhetoric was everywhere, from legislative races to gubernatorial elections.
Flipping the script to Trump over the past week or so has been the Peterson campaign, which is saturating mailboxes with a piece that suggests Carter is “supported by Trump’s friends and donors.” The mailer also endeavors to draw comparisons between Trump and Carter.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville said Carter and Peterson are so close together on most policy issues that the campaigns are now looking for stylistic differences. He said the “view from afar” is that Peterson is a “national Democratic” and Carter is a “local bread-and-butter guy.”
Asked whether the Trump tactic could become a national trend in Democratic races next year, Carville said, “You might see that, maybe when you have low turnout elections and you want to make a race more lively. But honestly, I think these direct mail firms have too much time on their hands. It’s borderline silly. I would hope my party would be more sane than that.”
Lynda Woolard, a former Obama campaign aide who has run grassroots mobilization efforts for the Louisiana Democratic Party, predicted the anti-Carter mailer would become a widely-used template in the next national cycle.
“I suspect we will see more use of Trump in every kind of match up, whether it’s Republican vs Republican, Democrat vs Democrat, or any combination,” she said. “The issue for Democratic candidates is, regardless of the identity of their opponent, will they be willing to call out Trump’s acolytes who promote the Big Lie, downplay the Jan. 6 insurrection and work to suppress the vote? The Democratic base wants to see that kind of strength from the people we elect to represent our values. As to how effective Trump will be as an issue, as always, it depends on the district.”
Pollster and consultant John Couvillon said the 2nd District is looking increasingly divided when it comes to the Democratic vote. During the first four days, early voting in the runoff has been lower than what was seen in the primary. But what has remained basically the same, according to Couvillon, is Republican participation.
“There hasn’t been much of a drop-off,” said Couvillon. “The Republican vote could put one of them over the top, and it could count for as much as 16 percent of the vote.”
As for that Trump mailer, he said, “It could potentially become a trend nationally, but I’m not convinced of its effectiveness. To me, something like that would be more effective with a ideologically liberal audience, a white liberal audience, which was already either going for Peterson or voted for Chambers in the primary.”
Not to be outdone, the Carter campaign dropped its own mail piece recently pointing out that the BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership Development) political organization, to which Peterson has close ties, endorsed Republican Bobby Jindal during his first run for governor.
And proving once again that turnabout is fair play, Woolard said she has already seen anonymous text campaigns targeting Peterson for accepting campaign cash from donors 15 years ago when she last ran for Congress — donors who many years later supported Trump’s presidential bid.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com orfollow Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.

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(Editor’s Note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

St. Mary deputies arrested five people Monday and Morgan City police arrested another on racketeering charges, according to arrest reports.

St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advised that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 41 complaints and made these arrests:
—Kurwin Nigel Webb Sr., 46, Patterson, was arrested at 11:23 a.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Webb also held three warrants for failure to appear on the charges of criminal neglect of family (two counts) and expired motor vehicle inspection.
Bail was set at $251,300.
—Leon Williams, 64, Patterson, was arrested at 12:35 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Bail was set at $250,000.
—Leroy Hawkins Jr., 37, Jeanerette, was arrested at 10:46 a.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Bail was set at $250,000.
—Morris L. Charles, 47, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:23 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Bail was set at $250,000.
—Willie Alfred, 41, Four Corners, was arrested at 7:42 a.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for two counts of distribution of cocaine, distribution of Schedule II drugs, racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity.
Bail was set at $300,000.
—Bryson Matthew Skinner Sr., 26, Siracusaville, was arrested at 9:30 a.m. Monday on charges of battery of a dating partner (child endangerment) and probation violation. Skinner was transferred to another agency.
—Markita Leshay Turner, 30, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:30 a.m. Monday on two Morgan City Police Department warrants for failure to appear on the charges of theft, contempt of court and failure to appear to pay probation fee. Turner was transferred to another agency.
—J.C. Ford Jr., 34, Amelia, was arrested at 11:48 a.m. Monday on charges of failure to register as a sex offender and parole violation. No bail has been set.
—Randy Brown Sr., 48, Baldwin, was arrested at 2:23 p.m. Monday on a charge of criminal damage to property. Brown continues to be incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.   
—Anthony Javonte Harris, 25, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:24 p.m. Monday on two counts of criminal damage to property. Harris continues to be incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.   
—Clifford Harris, 48, Franklin, was arrested at 4:25 p.m. Monday on a charge of racketeering. Bail was set at $150,000.
—Dwalyan Stephen Hurst, 21, Franklin, was arrested at 11:58 p.m. Monday on charges of improper lane usage, driver must be licensed and possession of marijuana. Hurst was released on a summons to appear July 22.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reported that over the last 24-hour period, the Morgan City Police Department responded to 52 calls for service and made these arrests:
—Kim James Butler Jr., 39, Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:06 p.m. Monday on 16th Judicial District Court warrants for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity.
—Jerral Wade Prestenbach, 31, Martin Street, Patterson, was arrested at 2:14 p.m. Monday on a 6th Ward Court warrant for four counts of failure to appear for trial.
—Alisia Rae Bertrand, 36, Cremo Lane, Patterson, was arrested at 4:45 p.m. Monday on charges of entry on or remaining in places or on land after forbidden and resisting an officer (giving false information); on a 6th Ward Court warrant for three counts of failure to appear for arraignment; and on a 16th Judicial District Court warrant for neglect of family.
—Lee Paul Pierce, 37, 11th Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:51 p.m. Monday on charges of domestic abuse battery and domestic abuse (child endangerment).

Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon also reported this arrest:
—Thomas M. Wilcox, 60, La. 1, Napoleonville, was arrested Saturday on charges of aggravated flight, resisting an officer, speeding 100-plus mph in a 55 mph zone, reckless operation, improper lane usage and failure to signal a turn, and on an Assumption Parish warrant for failure to appear on a charge of resisting an officer.
An I.C.E. assigned unit observed a southbound vehicle in the 4700 block of La. 1 and recognized the driver as Wilcox.
The deputy was aware of existing warrants for Wilcox. The deputy attempted to initiate a stop of the vehicle, but the suspect engaged officers into a pursuit situation.
That pursuit exceeded speeds of 100 mph and Wilcox drove in a reckless and dangerous manner.
The suspect vehicle pulled into the yard of his residence on La. 1 and fled into the home.
Deputies applied for and were granted a search warrant for Wilcox’s home.
Deputies made entry into the home and arrested Thomas Wilcox. He was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and was released on a $57,600 bond.