Not Yet A Member? Join today to get instant access to exclusive content—before it hits the web.
The announcement that state revenues for this year and next would be $360 million ahead of earlier projections has fueled a feeding frenzy and the potential for making some major fiscal blunders. However, by honoring the spirit of the constitutional provision regarding the use of non-recurring revenue, the state has an opportunity to place its […]
Many homeowners were shocked last year upon receiving their property tax bills, which were based on more realistic appraisals of their home values. The increased appraisals resulted from the 2004 statewide effort to produce more equitable property tax assessments.
Some members of the joint budget committee seem eager to consider ways to divert revenue from the Rainy Day Fund into program spending. While not part of the administration’s budget plan, the idea of lowering the cap on the fund to free up mineral revenues for general fund use was raised several times in last […]
The governor is to be commended for her efforts to begin addressing serious problems in Louisiana’s property tax assessment system. The administration’s proposal to require assessors to post property assessments on the Web and the apparent energizing of the Louisiana Tax Commission to take a more active role in policing assessors’ work are welcome developments. […]
This “owner’s manual” tells you how Louisiana government works. It provides tools you can use to ensure that the work is being done right and that government is responsive, efficient, and effective. It is your right to enjoy the freedom that democratic government provides. But it is also your responsibility to keep this complex machinery […]
Some legislators want to return to the good old days of legislative log-rolling to select highway projects. This is one effort that should be stopped in its tracks. In 1968, the Legislature made its first attempt to require highway priority planning, but soon reverted to the political selection of projects. Fortunately, the reform act in […]
Instead of spending $16 million next year on slush fund projects, the state could begin phasing out the sales tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment (MM&E) and the corporate franchise tax on borrowed capital. PAR recommended removing these two impediments to economic development based on its 1994 and 2002 studies of corporate tax burden comparisons […]