Jindal says that he wants to eliminate and replace with a higher state sales tax on a "revenue-neutral" basis the following: -- Individual Income Tax = $3 Billion

-- Corporate Income and Franchise = $300 Million

-- Oil and Gas extraction taxes = $700 Million

-- Revenue shortfall for fiscal year starting July 1, 2013 = $1.2 Billion

Replacement cost It will take $5.2 Billion in sales taxes to maintain the budget status quo (no growth).

A penny in state sales tax brings in approximately $750 Million.

Thus, an additional state sales tax of 6.9 cents is required. That would mean a total of 10.9 cents in state sales taxes. The combined average local and state sales tax would be 15.9 cents.

Rankings

Louisiana currently has the 3rd highest combined state and local sales tax rate in the nation. Jindal's tax swap would put us in first place by 6.45 cents more than the next highest taxed state. See list here.

The issue

The issue is: at what point does total sales tax overtake the economic benefit of eliminating the above listed taxes?

In other words, as the late U.S. Senator Russell Long said don't tax you, don't tax me, tax the man behind the tree; at what point are we the man behind the tree?