By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – Louisiana’s election ballot on Tuesday, besides runoff elections and the U.S. Senate and U.S. Congressional races, features 12 proposed amendments to the state Constitution.

Perhaps the most controversial of these is Amendment Two, also known as “The Stelly Plan,” for its proponent, Rep. Vic Stelly.

Area officials contacted about the proposal have been either split on the issue or declined to make a comment, usually deciding to simply suggest each voter decide on their own.

For example, Rep. Gary Smith said a revamping of the state tax system was needed. St. James Parish President Dale Hymel Jr. said the concept was good, but St. Charles Parish President Albert Laque still wants to hear from both sides and St. John the Baptist Parish President Nickie Monica said he still does not have enough information and, like Laque, will wait until he steps into the voting booth to decide.

The Stelly Plan, which Stelly argued at a recent debate in Luling with Sen. John David Cain, would provide a solution to the “temporary tax” situation which has dragged for the past 16 years. At the same time, Stelly said, it would provide “a growth-oriented tax swap,” which would slash sales tax revenue by extending or placing exemptions while increasing the state income tax.

The end result would be allowing for more exemptions on items such as food and prescription medicine, sales taxes which hurt the poorest of Louisiana’s population, he said.

At the same time, more state income tax would be levied, Stelly said, which can be exempted on federal income tax.

On the opposition side, Cain said the plan “takes the tax off all of us and adds it to some of us,” and discourages people from working. Cain said the plan would “grow government,” and, “I think it would run more people out of the state.”

Locally, Smith said the plan will result in “little, if any increase” in tax liability for the majority of taxpayers. “But it’s something each taxpayer will have to decide for themselves,” he said.

Hymel said Louisiana needs to be less dependent on sales taxes, but warns should this amendment pass voter approval, “what’s to prevent the legislature from adding another sales tax?” Hymel said what the state truly needs is a constitutional convention to revamp the entire tax structure.

On the other side of the coin, Amendment 6 has drawn near-universal support, to lock State Supplemental Pay for law enforcement professionals and firefighters in the state Constitution, and away from legislators’ and any governor’s hands.

Each sheriff in the River Parishes has signed off on it, sending near-identical letters to local newspapers, all pre-written by the Louisiana Sheriffs Association. Sheriffs themselves do not receive this supplemental pay, but their deputies do.

St. James Parish Sheriff Willy Martin Jr. said he has campaigned hard for it.

“For some people, $300 a month is not a big deal. For the people who get it, $300 a month is important to them,” Martin said.

The amendment also has the unanimous support of the area’s parish presidents.

Smith, one of the co-authors in the Louisiana House, reiterated his support and explained, “Every year, the governor puts it on the chopping block,” and makes it a trade-off card for deals he wants to make with legislators for their votes on his bills.

Hymel said he “certainly” support Amendment Six, as does Laque.

Also on the ballot is Amendment One, which calls for moving fiscal sessions of the legislature from even- to odd-numbered years, allowing legislators to each introduce five non-fiscal bills and unlimited special and local bills in fiscal sessions, and add 15 days to the fiscal session.

“There’s pretty good reasons for that,” Smith said. “When you’re in the fiscal sessions, it really ties your hands.” He added approval of this would also reduce the need for so many special sessions and save the state money.

Hymel added, “If it can save money for the state and not cost local government anything, I’m for it.”

Laque and Monica also voiced their support.

Amendment Three, if approved, would give the governor and legislature more flexibility in dealing with budget deficits by allowing limited cuts in most constitutionally-mandated or protected funds or expenditures.

Smith explained this is to assist in dealing with budget deficits by gaining limited access to restricted funds which have a surplus, year to year.

Amendment Four, if approved, would required the firing of any civil service employee convicted of a felony, after all appeals have been exhausted. Monica voiced his support of this measure.

Amendment Five, if approved would authorize 10-year tax exemptions for developers of retirement communities. Hymel declared his opposition to the proposal, and said he is against “private” tax exemptions. Monica said he would support it.

Amendment Seven, if approved, would allow senior citizens to apply and meet an income eligibility test only once to received a special property tax assessment. Hymel said he still has questions on this matter, such as what if a senior citizen’s tax status suddenly changed, as with gaming or the lottery?

Amendments Eight and Nine, if approved, would allow for investing of funds on the stock exchange, from universities in Eight and from Medicaid Trust Fund in Nine.

“I’ve heard the stock market is the way to go,” Monica said of these amendments in voicing his support,” and he added the AARP is supporting it.

Amendment 10, if approved, would create a Drought Protection Trust Fund, while Amendment 11, if approved, would exempt drilling rigs from local property taxes.

Amendment 12 is specific to Livingston Parish, so local officials were not asked for an opinion about it.