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The $34,000 proposed pay raise for legislators is absurd. The increase would bring Louisiana legislators’ compensation to $70,000, which is 198 percent of the average pay for part-time legislatures across the nation and 102 percent of the average pay for full-time legislatures – including per diem amounts and expense allowances. The proposal nearing final passage […]
If all you know about the capital outlay process is what you read in existing state laws, rules, and policies and procedures, you probably would conclude that in theory, it’s a good process.
A bill to decrease legislative control over setting tuition for higher education institutions would grant college and university officials a reprieve for a few years from the annual struggle to get two-thirds of the Legislature to approve tuition increases. While the proposed policy does not go far enough in expanding flexibility for institutions, it is […]
The second special session of the 2008 Legislature reinforced the momentum begun with last month’s ethics session. Louisiana, under its new leadership, is making headway on several priorities that aim to make the state more attractive to investors: making business taxes more competitive, refurbishing transportation infrastructure and investing in regional economic development opportunities. Additionally, by […]
The special legislative session that adjourned on Tuesday yielded an impressive set of reforms to the state’s ethics, campaign finance and other laws. Several long-resisted changes were enacted to disclose public officials’ personal financial dealings, forbid state officials from personally profiting through state contracts, eliminate many of the freebies officials have traditionally enjoyed, require more […]
Reform-oriented strategy was sorely lacking during the 2007 Regular Legislative Session. For a state still neck deep in its recovery from two catastrophic hurricanes two years prior with three extraordinary pots of cash to spend, a lame-duck governor and a term-limited Legislature, Louisiana demonstrated a remarkable capacity for sticking to its traditional script. The unprecedented […]
The state is poised for a big win for ethics reform. A bill to require legislators, statewide elected officials and local elected officials to report their income by source and range has nearly passed out of the Legislature. Successful passage of HB 730 would push Louisiana to become one of the top states in terms […]