The year-end holiday parties are over, the hangovers have been nursed and 2024 has been put to bed. Still, after a busy year in which an ambitious new governor and his legislative allies only hit a few speed bumps over the course of four sessions, many in Capitoland yearn for a little downtime. “I think we all needed a break away from each other,” says House Ways and Means Chair Julie Emerson, before adding that her tax-writing committee will get a small break before the opening gavel drops on the Legislature’s regular session in April. Part of that break comes courtesy of Washington Mardi Gras, which kicks off next week with a bigger footprint than ever. When that shindig concludes, thousands of politicos will return to Louisiana to find a February full of elections, including one to substantially rewrite the taxation portion of the state constitution. The politics of January and February will catapult us quickly into spring, and that’s where the 2025 regular session will truly begin to bloom. How we get from here to there is another story. Washington Mardi Gras  As it does every four years, this year’s bacchanal of partying, networking and dealmaking closely follows the presidential inauguration. Many folks will head up to see the dawn of the second term of Donald Trump on Jan. 20 and just stay through the end of the week.  The proximity of the two events creates a few logistical hurdles, but nothing that has put a damper on what just might be the most highly anticipated Washington Mardi Gras in its 75-year history.  Tyron Picard, senior lieutenant with the Mystick Krewe of Louisianians, says tickets are completely sold out. And for the first time, as far as he’s aware, his group has closed krewe membership and created a waiting list for people who want to join.  Congressman Troy Carter will chair the event for the first time, which has created a lot of excitement among his constituents in New Orleans. “We are expecting full participation by the entire congressional delegation,” Picard says.  Retired Lt. Col. Roderick “Rico” Alvendia, an Iraq war veteran and prominent New Orleans attorney, is this year’s king. Kendall Williams, a recent honors graduate of Louise S. McGehee School in New Orleans and daughter of 2016 King James Williams, is queen.  Super Bowl LIX New Orleans will be in the spotlight once again in the days leading up to the nation’s most-watched event on Feb. 9. Following the Bourbon Street terrorist attack, and the attendant controversy regarding security, making a good impression becomes even more important.  While the public events haven’t been announced just yet, the governor’s office has a lot planned that you can expect to hear about in the coming days.  “We are treating this as Louisiana’s Super Bowl,” says Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois. “We will have a general, all-Louisiana approach to our business messaging. We will also have a very targeted approach in our outreach, using this tremendous opportunity to showcase Louisiana as a premier destination for business investment.” February is election month Louisiana’s next election is set for Feb. 15, when voters will consider state Senate successors for Public Service Commissioner Jean-Paul Coussan and Congressman Cleo Fields. State Reps. Brach Myers and Larry Selders, respectively, are running for those seats, so there’s a good chance more special elections will be needed to fill out the House.  March 29 brings a municipal primary, plus the election to fill the Louisiana Supreme Court vacancy created when former Associate Justice James Genovese stepped down to become president of Northwestern State University. Lake Charles attorney and administrative law judge Cade Cole is running for the role with the support of much of the political establishment. Qualifying for the Feb. 15 special primary ends today, while candidates can begin signing up for the March 29 ballot on Jan. 29.  Also up for a vote on the March 29 ballot is the proposed rewrite of Article VII of the state constitution that lawmakers approved in the November special session.  The fiscal session of 2025 The changes lawmakers made during the tax session create a bit of revenue uncertainty, and many legislators say they plan to revisit those changes this year when the regular session convenes April 19. As the legislative year was coming to a close, they got some good news when the Revenue Estimating Conference officially declared the fiscal cliff to be resolved. Still, the REC’s projections are just that: projections, not certainties. So while many lawmakers would like to take a crack at further income tax rate reductions, and maybe lowering the sales tax rate they just raised, they could just decide to hold off on making more changes for a while to see how things play out, Emerson says.  As of now, she’s not planning to hold any Ways and Means meetings to plan for the session anytime soon. Bourgeois plans to propose a new set of economic development incentives in February, and if those cost less than the current programs, cutting the corporate income tax gets easier.  Under current law, corporate collections in excess of $600 million are directed to the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund. If voters approve the constitutional changes in March, those dollars will flow into the general fund, potentially giving lawmakers more money to work with.  The amendment also would make the business inventory tax that parishes currently charge voluntary, though the administration would have preferred to eliminate it altogether. Lawmakers may take another look at that issue this year, though if they want to make any further changes they will need to get on the same page with the locals.