Vic Stelly
Vic Stelly
Vic Stelly
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from the 35th district
In office
1988–2004
Preceded byMargaret Welsh Lowenthal
Succeeded byBrett Frank Geymann
Member of the Louisiana Board of Regents for Higher Education
In office
2007–2013
Personal details
Born
Victor Theodore Stelly

(1941-01-11)January 11, 1941
Carencro, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedDecember 26, 2020(2020-12-26) (aged 79)
Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican turned Independent
OccupationBusinessman; Politician

Victor Theodore Stelly (January 11, 1941 – December 26, 2020) was an American politician who was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, best known for the since repealed Stelly Plan tax-shifting amendment. He was also a member of the Louisiana Board of Regents for Higher Education from 2007 through 2013, resigning before his term ended because he was dismayed at cuts to higher education.[1][2]

In 2006, Stelly was selected to the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame.[3]

Political career

Stelly authored an amendment to the Louisiana State Constitution which became known as the Stelly Plan.[4] This amendment eliminated the state sales tax on food, drugs, and utilities and raised the state income tax.[4] Lost state revenue was replaced with a state income tax increase primarily paid by upper bracket taxpayers.[5]

Personal life

Stelly was born in Carencro, Louisiana, and moved to Zachary, Louisiana when he was four years old.[1] His father, Gordon Stelly, was a petro-chemical operator, and his mother Dorothea Olive Martin Stelly, was a stay-at-home mother.[6][1] He was an All-State football player at Zachary High School and graduated from Northwestern in Natchitoches where he also played football.[1] He taught high school in Louisiana, getting his M.A. from Louisiana State University in 1965.[1] He was an insurance agent for 25 years in Moss Bluff.[1][7]

Death

Stelly died from complications of COVID-19[8] on December 26, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Louisiana, just 15 hours before his wife Terry died of the same illness and sixteen days short of his 80th birthday.[9][10]

His papers are held by the Archives and Special Collections Department of the Frazar Memorial Library at McNeese State University.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Vic Stelly". BestOfSwla. November 4, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  2. ^ Schmidt, Theresa (June 13, 2012). "Vic Stelly resigns from Board of Regents". KPLC. Gray Media Group, Inc. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Louisiana Political Museum499 E". GOVERNMENT. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "The Vic Stelly papers" (PDF). McNeese State University Library. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  5. ^ "News Releases". Louisiana Department of Revenue. November 8, 2002. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  6. ^ "Dorothea Stelly – Monday, September 10th, 2007". Charlet Funeral Home, Inc. September 10, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "VIC STELLY INSURANCE AGENCY, INC". Open Corporates. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "Victor & Terry Stelly". Johnson Funeral Home. December 26, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  9. ^ Cole, Davon (December 26, 2020). "Former Louisiana State Representative 'Vic' Stelly dies". KPLC TV. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  10. ^ Schmidt, Theresa (December 27, 2020). "Lake Area loses two pillars of the community just hours apart". KPLC TV. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
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