Budget & Taxes

Medicaid Expansion: An Opportunity to Invest in Louisiana’s Workforce

More than 240,000 working Louisianans would gain health coverage in 2014 if the state were to take advantage of an historic opportunity to expand its Medicaid program. The vast majority of the cost—93 percent over the first decade—would be paid by the federal government, making it an excellent deal for the state.

Medicaid Expansion: An Opportunity to Invest in Louisiana’s Workforce Read More »

Louisiana Film Tax Credits: Costly Giveaways to Hollywood

Louisiana spent $231 million on film subsidies last year—a 29 percent increase over the previous fiscal year—at a time when the state’s investments in higher education, health care, infrastructure and public safety continued to erode.

A new report by the Louisiana Budget Project takes an in-depth look at these costly giveaways, and suggests ways the Legislature could improve the program.

Louisiana Film Tax Credits: Costly Giveaways to Hollywood Read More »

Medicaid expansions are the reason there are so many Louisiana kids with insurance

Appearing on the national news program Meet the Press, Gov. Bobby Jindal said Sunday that Louisiana would not implement federal health care reform, including an expansion in Medicaid eligibility to cover the working poor and childless adults for the first time. This is a misguided policy that could deprive as many as 400,000 low-income Louisianans of health coverage, and would also hurt health care providers and the state’s economy.

Medicaid expansions are the reason there are so many Louisiana kids with insurance Read More »

The governor's plan will mainly benefit corporations and the wealthy, while working and middle-class families will pay more for services and products we use every day such as diapers, garbage collection, haircuts and home repairs. Louisiana’s tax system certainly needs to be improved, but this is the wrong way to do it.
Gov. Jeff Landry has called the Legislature into a special session to overhaul Louisiana’s tax structure.