The Louisiana Legislature accomplished a lot last year. Look for that trend to continue this year, according to state Rep. John Stefanski.
Speaking to members of the Rotary Club of Rayne recently, the Crowley Republican said tax reform, capital outlay reform and investing in infrastructure are on his personal radar for the session that starts on March 9.
But before he addressed those issues, Stefanski, who was unopposed in election to his first full term in October after winning a special election to fill Jack Montoucet’s unexpired term when Montoucet stepped down to accept appointment as secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, reviewed some of the accomplishments of the 2019 session.
“Of course, the highlight of the session, the biggest issue that got all the headlines, was the teacher pay raise,” he said. “It cost the state $117 million to give every teacher a raise of just a $1,000. That’s a big investment for a small impact.”
Increases in funding for higher education and early childhood education also got a lot of publicity last year, but it’s the latter that Stefanski said to keep an eye on.
“You heard a lot about early childhood education last year, and you will for the next five years,” he said. “Louisiana children are getting to kindergarten and they don’t know their numbers, they don’t know the alphabet. It’s been proven that children who start kindergarten behind, that stays with them all the way through their education. Investments in early childhood education will make the greatest impact on the future of our education system.”
Stefanski told Rotarians to expect to see “certified early education centers start popping up” across the state.
“I admit that I was against it at first,” he said. “They seemed like glorified daycares – government funded centers. But I can’t argue with the statistics and I’m a believer now, as long as they’re managed properly.”
A $150 million investment in development of the Interstate 49 corridor will prove to be a boon to everyone in the area, according to Stefanski, once “the Evangeline Thruway issue” is solved. “That’s just not feasible,” the representative said.
On a more local topic, Stefanski noted that he and Rep. Phillip Devillier, R-Eunice, were able to secure capital outlay funding for construction of a new Martin Luther King Center in Rayne. The state has allocated $315,000 for the project with 20 percent matching funds provided by the city of Rayne.
Looking forward, Stefanski said his personal agenda includes tax reform.
“We have a very complicated tax structure,” he said, pointing specifically to the state’s inventory tax – “Companies pay it up front to local government and then are reimbursed by the state. So, basically, the state is paying the inventory tax.”
Stefanski also wants to reform the state’s capital outlay structure.
“The governor – one man – has the power to veto individual projects,” he said. “That’s not fair.”
And while the state made investments in infrastructure last year, more are needed, according to Stefanski.
“Highway 35 North and South here in Rayne are in bad shape,” he said. “And Crowley has its own issues with Highway 13. We have to find a way to invest in infrastructure.
“Gas tax dollars are supposed to be spent on roads, not on salaries for (Department of Transportation and Development) personnel.”
Stefanski said he believes Gov. John Bel Edwards’ agenda will include continued support for higher education.
“And I can get behind that,” he said, pointing out that the cost of attending LSU has tripled since he graduated in 2002.
Minimum wage and equal pay issues also are on the governor’s agenda, according to the representative.
“I don’t think he’ll be successful increasing the minimum wage. I doubt it’ll get out of committee,” he said.
Equal pay, he continued, “is a complicated issue.”
While he said he agrees that women should get equal pay for equal work, “creating legislation to that affect will open companies to litigation.”
The Republican agenda will include tort and tax reform and “making it easier to drill (for oil) but still protect the environment,” he said.
Before closing, Stefanski touched on the recent election of Clay Schexnayder of Gonzales as Speaker of the House.
Stefanski admitted that he had long supported Schexnayder and had given him his word that he would support him in the election. And he did so, despite intense pressure from within his own party to vote for Sherman Mack of Albany.
“Schexnayder is as conservative as anyone in the House,” Stefanski said. “I think Acadiana will be well-represented.”
He added that Schexnayder was not the governor’s choice for Speaker, but he did get support from the Democrats in the House.
“I think time will show us he was the right choice,” Stefanski said.
During a question-and-answer period, Stefanski said he thinks the Legislature will get involved in the current dispute between the governor and the treasurer concerning the use of unclaimed property.
“Historically, the state spends that money in the general fund,” he said. “The treasurer doesn’t think that’s the best use of it and wants to use it as a revolving loan account – use it as leverage for local governments to obtain low-interest loans.”
Stefanski also assured Rotarians that the state’s “Rainy Day Fund” is still “alive and well” and that the state continues to put $50 million to $60 million into it every year.
