WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Jindal's state salary provides main income in 2012

  May 16, 2013 2:53 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Gov. Bobby Jindal's latest financial disclosure report shows his annual nearly $128,000 state salary provided the main source of income for he and his wife in 2012. That's according to the Board of Ethics. The report shows the couple also received income from capital gains and dividends paid... more »

• State's budget forecast $155M brighter

  May 15, 2013 10:20 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's income forecast has gotten brighter, giving lawmakers more money to spend in the budget. The Revenue Estimating Conference adjusted next year's forecast by $155 million - $65 million more than what was assumed in the House-passed version of the 2013-14 budget. Economists say the state's individual... more »

• Deadline to file La. taxes is Wednesday

  May 13, 2013 11:13 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The deadline for filing 2012 Louisiana individual income tax returns is Wednesday. The state Department of Revenue says filing can be made electronically and more information is available at the department's website, www.revenue.louisiana.gov/fileonline. Officials say the average refund processing time for electronic returns is 10 business days;... more »

• Legislative fiscal analysts question Jindal budget Play Video

  April 15, 2013 6:53 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Senators opened their budget hearings with questions raised about financing plans proposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal to balance next year's budget. Members of the Senate Finance Committee heard Monday from analysts with the Legislative Fiscal Office about the 2013-14 budget proposal. Fiscal office analysts say the governor's... more »

• Lawmakers refuse to hear income tax repeal bills Play Video

  April 15, 2013 10:40 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The state House Ways and Means committee said today they would defer all income tax repeal bills for this session, essentially killing Governor Bobby Jindal's main plan for tax reform. Committee chair Joel Robideaux (R-Lafayette) said such bills already scheduled for a hearing would still be... more »

• Obama pays $112k in 2012 taxes on $609k of income

  April 12, 2013 1:12 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's 2012 tax returns show he and first lady Michelle Obama paid $112,214 in taxes last year on $608,611 in adjusted gross income. They paid an effective rate of 18.4 percent for their federal income taxes. The adjusted gross income figure is down from 2011, when... more »

• Jindal admin: Non-revenue neutral tax plans an option

  April 9, 2013 10:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal's leader on tax issues is indicating to lawmakers that the governor is no longer seeking a dollar-for-dollar swap in an income tax repeal. Tim Barfield, executive counsel for the Department of Revenue, told a Senate committee on Tuesday that now that Jindal is supporting... more »

• Sources: Jindal to scrap tax plan, propose 10-year rollout

  April 8, 2013 1:09 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Governor Bobby Jindal is expected to announce he's scrapping his plan to immediately eliminate personal and corporate income taxes, according to multiple sources at the Capitol. Those sources tell WBRZ News 2 the governor will instead propose rolling out the eliminations over the next decade, without... more »

• Jindal scraps tax reforms, 10-year rollout proposed Play Video

  April 8, 2013 1:02 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Governor Bobby Jindal announced today he was scrapping his plan to immediately eliminate personal and corporate income taxes, and instead try to phase the changes in over the next decade. Jindal made the announcement during his joint address before the state House and Senate at the... more »

• US consumer spending, income jump in February

  March 29, 2013 10:22 AM

  WASHINGTON - Consumers earned more and spent more in February, helped by a stronger job market that has offset some of the drag from higher taxes. The Commerce Department says consumer spending rose 0.7 percent in February compared with January. It was the biggest gain in five months and followed... more »

• Jindal increases proposed sales tax hike

  March 28, 2013 6:13 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal has made changes to his tax revamp proposal and will push to boost state sales taxes even higher than already announced to make the numbers balance. Jindal's proposal would increase the state sales tax from 4 percent to 6.25 percent, rather than the 5.88... more »

• Policy group urges caution concerning tax reform Play Video

  March 4, 2013 6:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says Louisiana's tax structure needs to be improved. He told the Baton Rouge Press Club that any plans to elminiate state income tax will likely be permanent. Erwin says Louisiana's tax structure is complicated. That makes Louisiana's business climate... more »

• Obama minimum wage plan renews economic debate

  February 14, 2013 7:06 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says increasing the minimum wage to $9 an hour and tying future increases to inflation will raise the incomes of millions living in poverty and spur job growth. Business groups are not so sure. They complain that boosting the federal rate from $7.25 an hour... more »

• La. taxpayers have choices for state income tax refunds

  February 7, 2013 2:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Taxpayers in Louisiana can now choose between methods to receive their state income tax refunds. Taxpayers who file electronically can select direct deposit, a paper check, or the Louisiana MyRefund Card, a pre-loaded debit card that can be used to withdraw cash at ATMs or bank teller... more »

• Jindal tax plan would keep incentive programs

  January 16, 2013 4:42 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The leader on Gov. Bobby Jindal's proposed tax code rewrite, Tim Barfield, says the administration wants to keep most of the state's economic development incentive programs as part of the revamp. Many of the programs give credits or exemptions to income taxes. Though Jindal is proposing to... more »

• Jindal tax plan would keep incentive programs

  January 15, 2013 4:03 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The leader on Gov. Bobby Jindal's proposed tax code rewrite, Tim Barfield, says the administration wants to keep most of the state's economic development incentive programs as part of the revamp. Many of the programs give credits or exemptions to income taxes. Though Jindal is proposing to... more »

• Study: Income inequality continues to grow in La.

  November 15, 2012 7:45 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A new study says the gap between Louisiana's rich and poor has grown wider over the last three decades, with the poverty-ridden state having among the highest rates of income inequality in the nation. The richest 5 percent of households in Louisiana have average incomes more... more »

• Census data says poverty rates in La. on the rise

  September 21, 2012 9:02 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Newly released census data says poverty levels in Louisiana have continued to climb while household incomes declined in the last year, making the state one of the poorest in the nation. Reports from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey released Thursday say the median household... more »

• Half avoid taxes, get fed help but many not poor

  September 18, 2012 4:54 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney got the math about right when he said 47 percent of Americans pay no incomes taxes and are "dependent on government" for support. But he blurred together half or more of the entire country with his comment, from the neediest Americans to some of the richest.... more »

• Obama responds to Romney's 'victims' comments

  September 18, 2012 4:52 PM

  NEW YORK - President Barack Obama is chiding Republican Mitt Romney for referring to supporters of the president as victims who depend on the government. Obama says anyone who wants to be president has to "work for everyone, not just for some." Appearing on the "Late Show" with David Letterman,... more »

• Romney: 'Great divide' exists over tax philosophy

  September 18, 2012 4:51 PM

  SALT LAKE CITY - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says there's a "great divide" in the country between those who want to take wealth and pass it around and those who want to earn money for themselves. In an interview Tuesday with Fox News Channel, Romney said redistributing wealth is... more »

• Taxpayers have 10 days to claim income tax refund

  August 15, 2012 8:52 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Thousands of taxpayers have yet to claim their state income tax refunds and the state's revenue agency says millions of dollars will become unclaimed property if they don't claim the money soon. The Louisiana Department of Revenue says they've notified more than 7,000 taxpayers that they... more »

• Jindal lists salary, income sources for 2011

  May 22, 2012 11:04 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Gov. Bobby Jindal's financial disclosure report for 2011 lists his $127,407 annual salary as governor plus various sources of investment income for him and his wife Supriya. Interest, dividend and capital gains income is reported in ranges. For instance, the report listed eight such sources of income for... more »

• La. taxpayers receive $420 million in state income tax refunds Play Video

  April 6, 2012 3:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) has issued more than 1 million individual income tax refunds for income tax returns submitted for the 2011 tax year. As of Thursday, LDR had issued 1,012,143 individual income tax refunds for a total amount of $419,965,483.23. The average... more »

• Audit looks at Louisiana's tax breaks

  March 5, 2012 11:19 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Tax breaks to businesses and individuals in Louisiana cut state tax liabilities by $4.8 billion over six years, more heavily benefiting companies over people in the state. Those are the findings of a new audit, released Monday, by Louisiana Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera's office. Louisiana has 464 tax... more »

• Law would drop income tax for people making $50k or more

  February 29, 2012 4:58 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A new push in State government could save people making $50,000 or more money. A pre-filed bill in the State Senate would cut state income tax by 2% for those people- bringing it down to 4%. But, economy experts wonder if Louisiana could recap the lost... more »

• $295M tax credit plan to aid low-income areas

  February 24, 2012 4:50 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Low-income communities in Louisiana are expected to benefit soon from $295 million in tax credits. Five Louisiana entities that finance business and economic development will take part in the "New Market Tax Credit" program awards announced Thursday by Sen. Mary Landrieu and Rep. Cedric Richmond. The... more »

• Revenue forecasting panel revisits income estimate

  December 14, 2011 1:40 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's income forecasting panel is planning to talk about whether the state's revenue projections should be dropped, a move that could force a new round of budget cuts. The four-member Revenue Estimating Conference meets Wednesday to hear from two state economists about how income projections have fallen... more »

• State income taxes could be phased out

  June 13, 2011 5:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The La. House Ways and Means Committee approved a bill repealing state personal income taxes. The ten year phase-out plan received no opposition. The bill by Rep. Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, calls for a four percent cut starting in 2014. Marionneaux said cost-cutting measures could be put... more »

• State gets a new $77 million budget problem

  May 18, 2011 5:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Any lawmakers' hopes that Louisiana's income picture would brighten have been dashed. The state income forecasting panel, called the Revenue Estimating Conference, instead dropped the state's forecast by $77 million this year. While the panel agreed Wednesday to leave next year's estimates alone, the drop in... more »

• Personal income up in Louisiana

  March 23, 2011 11:33 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Personal income in Louisiana rose slightly faster than the national average in 2010 and the state was one of 10 that rebounded beyond pre-recession peaks. That's according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal income is income received by... more »

• Income tax deadline pushed back for La. residents

  January 8, 2011 10:33 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana residents have one more day to prepare their income taxes this year. State officials have set a May 16 filing deadline for Louisiana indvidual income tax returns. The Department of Revenue normally sets a May 15 deadline, but that date falls on a Sunday this... more »

• Former state senator's law license suspended

  September 28, 2010 5:55 AM

  The Louisiana Supreme Court has suspended the law license of former state Sen. Charles Jones after last month's conviction on federal income tax evasion charges. The Supreme Court granted a request by the state Attorney Disciplinary Board to suspend Jones' license in the interim following his conviction on two counts... more »

• La. food aid won't count BP payments

  May 13, 2010 5:23 AM

  The Louisiana Department of Social Services says oil spill payments from BP won't count as income for deciding who can get food cards and other cash-based aid programs. The department says that business accounts also won't count as assets. The rule is designed to help coastal residents who have lost... more »

• Freeport-McMoRan first-quarter profit soars

  April 21, 2010 8:58 AM

  Freeport-McMoRan said its first-quarter profit jumped sharply as it capitalized on surging prices of copper, gold and molybdenum. The company said Wednesday that net income rose to $897 million, or $2 per share, for just $43 million, or 11 cents per share, a year ago when demand fell sharply... more »

• Jindal proposes cuts to fill deficit

  April 16, 2010 12:31 PM

  Gov. Bobby Jindal proposes cutting about $60 million from state agencies and public colleges and tapping into an array of one-time funds to close a $319 million budget deficit. The $29 billion budget must be rebalanced before the fiscal year ends June 30. Jindal unveiled his recommendations Friday. ... more »

• Application time for New Orleans school vouchers

  March 15, 2010 5:28 AM

  Registration re-opens Tuesday for a limited voucher program for children from low- and moderate-income families in New Orleans. To be eligible, students entering kindergarten through fifth grade must be from a New Orleans family with an annual income of no more than two-and-a-half times the federal poverty threshold. Also, except... more »

• New education tax break available to parents

  February 3, 2010 5:18 AM

  The state revenue department is hosting question-and-answer sessions next week about a new tax break available to parents of school children. Parents can deduct the costs of uniforms, textbooks, supplies required by the school, home-schooling supplies and private school tuition from their income taxes. The deductions are equal to 50... more »

• Cleco offers new program for low-income customers

  February 2, 2010 5:12 AM

  A new program offered by utility provider Cleco could mean a 25 percent discount to low-income customers. The company says customers who meet certain income guidelines can apply to receive the discount on the fuel portion of their bills for July, August and September. Customers must apply at one of... more »

• Man pleads guilty to not paying taxes

  September 15, 2009 7:33 AM

  Oil and gas land man Jody Stevens pleaded guilty to not paying his taxes on $240,000 he earned over a three-year-period. According to court documents, Stevens says he failed to file returns because he has a long history of substance abuse and that he blew his money because of a... more »