Contentious legislation to repeal the state personal and corporate income taxes was redirected to the Senate’s top money committee Wednesday in a move that could defeat the measure.

Bill sponsor and state Sen. Rob Marionneaux criticized his colleagues’ “shenanigans” for using a “procedural maneuver to kill the bill” without having the political “courage” to vote against Senate Bill 259 after a nearly three-hour floor debate.

Marionneaux, D-Grosse Tete, said the newspaper headline should read, “Senate votes to skirt income tax vote.”

The Senate voted 23-14 to send the legislation to the finance committee, as requested by the Governor’s Office.

The phase-out legislation would eventually cost the state more than $3.8 billion annually, once fully implemented. Critics like state Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, said the proposal could devastate funding for higher education, health care and more.

Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Mike Michot, R-Lafayette, said his committee would not bury the legislation and would allow the public to weigh in with opinions.

“This bill will get a fair hearing,” Michot said.

SB259 would cost the state more than $600 million initially in a five-year phase out, but Marionneaux said he plans to amend the legislation to be drawn out over 10 years.

He also has an amendment that would phaseout over 10 years many of the state’s tax breaks in order to make up for the loss of funds from the tax repeals.

In an episode of political theater, Marionneaux stood up on a ladder and held up stapled-together pages of the state’s more than $7 billion tax breaks, credits, exemptions and rebates for what he called “special interests.” The stack extended beyond the length of the state Senate floor.

“Don’t tell me we can’t afford to give the persons back home the personal income tax break they deserve,” Marionneaux said.

“We can’t say no (to special interests),” Marionneaux said. “It’s like a crackhead on heroin.”

Senate President Joel Chaisson II, D-Destrehan, said those tax breaks include cost savings for residents on the cost of food, utilities and medical prescriptions.

Staffers for Gov. Bobby Jindal asked legislators to vote in favor of sending SB259 to the finance committee. Jindal has said he will not take the plan seriously until there is a “serious plan” to make up for the cuts.

“Obviously, Senate Finance would be the right place to review this and put that plan together if they’re serious about it,” Jindal’s press secretary, Kyle Plotkin, said late Wednesday.

State Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, chided his colleagues for showing “cowardice” and “hypocrisy” for choosing not to vote on the legislation, especially when they claim to be fiscal conservatives.

State Sen. Julie Quinn, R-Metairie, said they needed more time to review Marionneaux’s proposed amendments.

“This is a pretty significant issue, and I haven’t even seen the elimination of these tax credits,” Quinn said before the amendments were handed out.

Nine states currently have no personal income tax, including Texas, Florida and Tennessee.

State Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge, is sponsoring a similar income tax repeal that would phase the tax out over 10 years. That legislation awaits debate on the House floor.

SB259 had advanced last week out of the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs. Marionneaux is the chairman of that committee.

A similar effort last week led by Claitor failed by two votes to send the legislation to the finance committee.

State Sen. Butch Gautreaux, D-Morgan City, said the income tax repeal would force the Louisiana Legislature to make tough reforms.

“We have to have something hit us on the head to make us pay attention and be reactive,” Gautreaux said.

State Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, said the repeal would make lawmakers undo many of the dedications that tie up the state budget.

“Sometimes the medicine we have to take is hard to swallow,” Adley said. “But the cure is worth it.”

“I’m ready to take my medicine, but I don’t need a suppository,” responded state Sen. Fred Mills Jr., R-St. Martinville. “Let’s slow it down a little.”

VOTING FOR SENDING SB259 TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE (23): Senate President Chaisson and state Sens. Alario, Appel, Chabert, Cheek, Claitor, Crowe, Donahue, Guillory, Heitmeier, Kostelka, Long, Martiny, Michot, Mills, Morrish, Mount, Nevers, Perry, Quinn, Smith, Thompson and Walsworth.

VOTING AGAINST RECOMMITTING THE LEGISLATION (14): Sens. Adley, Amedee. Broome, Dorsey, Erdey, Gautreaux, LaFleur, Marionneaux, McPherson, Morrell, Murray, Riser, Shaw and Willard-Lewis.

NOT VOTING (2): Sens. Jackson and Peterson.

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