After a grueling couple of weeks dealing with the budget crisis, several bills were passed Wednesday to close the budget gap.

Now Louisiana residents will see the 4 cent sales tax increased by another penny on every dollar.

“Now it will be five percent. Starting April 21^st that will go on for 27 months and then after 27 months that will sunset out.”

The bill alone has raised $215 million for the budget so far and it is expected to bring in nearly $900 million annually.

State Senator Fred Mills says certain things will remain exempt from the tax.

“Still, Food will be exempt, drugs will be exempt. So when you go to the grocery store when you go to the pharmacy that’s still a sales tax item.”

Local business owner Karl Breaux of Breaux Mart here in Lafayette says he’s glad to see the exemptions still in place for food and medicine.

“I was particularly pleased to see that it kept off food and medicine. I think it wouldn’t be fair to the people who couldn’t say I’m going to protest not eating or I can’t take my medication.”

However, Breaux adds the sales tax may come at a cost for small business across Acadiana.

“Look at business, the business may need to buy equipment upgrades. Something always break in business. So when you go to buy a piece of equipment it’s not going to be a $10 piece of equipment. When the one cent sales tax is added to a $40-thousand cooler it becomes a situation.”