Section Business of Politics

La. GOP calls for defeat of gas tax hike

Louisiana's Republican Party leaders are urging state lawmakers to reject a gas tax hike ahead of Wednesday's scheduled vote on the measure and have chastised GOP legislators who voted for the proposal.

Georges now a Republican

New Orleans businessman John Georges is now — again — a Republican. That has state GOP leaders talking and speculating.

Corporate tax overhaul pushed to next week

Rep. Kenny Havard, R-St. Francisville, said his HB 648 was incomplete as drafted and that the amendments he needed to get the legislation into the right posture were still being put together.

The same old game plan

It’s time to face the truth we have long avoided: Louisiana cannot tax, spend and mandate its way to prosperity.

LPSO to Privatize Recovery Center

Sheriff Mark Garber says the Acadiana Recovery Center has been hemorrhaging money; plans are underway to turn it over to a private operator.

National group targets JBE, replacing Villere and more

Jeremy Adler, a spokesman for America Rising Squared, says his organization “likes to keep tabs on all Democrats running for or in office and seeks to highlight their vulnerabilities.” But he adds that Edwards is near the top of its list in terms of governors around the country.

Political ads found new homes in 2016

The share of political ad spending long held by broadcast television took a major dive in 2016 as campaigns in Louisiana and across the national turned their attention more to online platforms.

Theall, Hamilton (and Perry?) possible appeals court candidates

The open seat on the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal being vacated by state Supreme Court Justice-elect Jimmy Genovese is starting to shape up — beginning with a quick exit from 15th Judicial District Court Judge John Trahan, who was expected to run.

List of potential treasurer candidates swelling

Caroline FayardAfter losing her bid for the U.S. Senate this year, Democratic attorney Caroline Fayard is among the many names being urged to look at the special election for treasurer, which has so f

Race for Louisiana treasurer revs up

Among names on the growing list of potential candidates is Acadiana health care executive Gus Rantz, who placed fifth in the primary for the 3rd Congressional District in November.

Castle v. Genovese under radar (for now)

You have Genovese supporters accusing Castle of being too cozy with oil and gas interests and Castle supporters accusing Genovese of being a trial lawyer candidate.

State collecting on un-met business incentives

Over the past 24 months 15 companies have paid back to Louisiana Economic Development $8.3 million in reimbursements to the state for up-front business incentives because the companies did not measure up to expectations outlined in their cooperative endeavor agreements.

AG Jeff Landry getting autonomous spending control?

In a dramatic shift away from the Edwards administration’s priorities, the House Appropriations Committee advanced a state budget May 9 that gives the attorney general autonomous spending control and eliminates the office of inspector general, among other changes.

Chemical association still mulling appeal

It may be a few more weeks until the Louisiana Chemical Association decides whether it will appeal a decision from a district court judge paving the way for its members to pay more than $100 million in higher taxes.

Taxes being held in escrow as litigation lingers

In the wake of the Louisiana Legislature suspending part of a sales tax exemption favored by industry, $3.5 million has been paid in protest by 25 to 30 companies and the money is now being held in escrow.

THE BUSINESS OF POLITICS

Price of Oil Getting Political in LouisianaWhile oil prices, and predictions about where they’re going, don’t paint a pretty picture for the state of Louisiana, we’re unlikely to see a true and complete portrait of their effect on the current fiscal year budget until the next governor is sworn in.

Price of oil getting political in La.

While oil prices, and predictions about where they’re going, don’t paint a pretty picture for the state of Louisiana, we’re unlikely to see a true and complete portrait of their effect on the current fiscal year budget until the next governor is sworn in.

Robideaux rubs LABI the wrong way

Candidate for city-parish prez (along with fellow state Rep. Ledricka Thierry and state Sen. Fred Mills) earns an "F" from biz lobby; Elbert Guillory, Nancy Landry and Stuart Bishop awarded "A."

Cost of consulting contracts again questioned

A version of a bill to reduce the state’s consulting contracts that was unanimously passed by both chambers of the Legislature last year before being vetoed by Gov. Bobby Jindal appears to be heading back to his desk.

Living on the Edge

If nothing changes before Jan. 1, hundreds of billions of dollars in tax increases and critical budget cuts will occur. The French have an expression: "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même...

Land Loss, Job Gains

How a new state law plans to link local jobs to coastal projects. Beginning Aug. 1, contractors overseeing major developments along the coast and closer inshore will be required to take steps to bring...

Just Drill

A Houma lawmaker's bill aims to incentivize ultra-deep operations. The state is considering creating a program that would allow leased lands to be consolidated and operational costs shared for...

The Writing Is On the Wall

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 But do the governor and Legislature have the courage to fix our state pension system? As I enter my last term as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, I...

Gulf energy industry still in transition

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 By Jeremy Alford Insiders fear the new cost of doing business is squeezing out smaller independents. Wednesday, July 27, 2011 By Jeremy Alford Insiders fear the new cost of...

Forward or Backward?

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 Bills in the current legislative session and the recent resignation of Paul Pastorek bring our state to a crucial fork in the road to a better education system. Most of the...

Tax Suspend

Wednesday, April 27, 2011 From economic development to business taxes - an overview of the regular session of the Louisiana Legislature.  By Jeremy Alford Lawmakers have a new deadline: no later than...

Louisiana's $7 Billion Money Pit

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Tax exemptions passed by a simple majority legislative vote can stay on the books forever. That needs to change. By Edward Ashworth When Gov. Jindal recently released his...

The Fellow Behind the Tree

Wednesday, December 29, 2010 If you live in Shreveport, you pay almost double the property tax of those in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. By Elliott Stonecipher As Louisiana marches to next spring's...

Conflicts Worth Watching

Wednesday, November 24, 2010 Louisiana's assessors are taking on Big Oil while the state treasurer faces off against Team Jindal. Why? Money, of course. The time between elections is normally quiet,...

The Jobbers

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 The two frontrunners in the U.S. Senate race are promising voters new employment opportunities, which this fall's loser may actually need next year. Both David Vitter and...

Keep Working

**Wednesday, August 25, 2010 Written by Jeremy Alford If you're paying into a state retirement system and reaching for that brass ring, it may take longer to grasp if a national policy trend continues...

Setting the Stage

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s decision to turn down part of the stimulus package is pitting Democratic lawmakers against business and industry. What Democratic lawmakers describe as a hidebound decision by Gov....

The New WPA

Gulf Coast activists press for billions in recovery funds. Is Washington listening? President Barack Obama’s inauguration marked a turning point in African-Americans’ civil rights struggles of the...

A Silent Shanking

As Louisiana’s adult inmate population outstrips national trends and conflicts continue in the youth prison system, the cost of incarceration is poised to be the legislative sleeper issue of...

Plugging the Brain Drain

Louisiana continues to lose well-educated residents and gain illiterate ones, but state officials are working to reverse the trend. Roughly 28 percent of the people living in Louisiana today cannot...

Political energy futures

Any hope for a federal energy bill appears to be a flop for now, but the ongoing campaign for president offers a look into future policy discussions. For all of the pomp and pageantry that went into...

The Shock of Recovery

After Hurricane Katrina dropped her rains on us in 2005, it was the elderly man sitting near the Algiers ferry landing without shoes, having been forced out of his home by rising waters before...

Southern Yin and Northern Yang

While coastal communities are reaping the benefits of a new military installation and money for water resources, Louisiana’s northerly locales haven’t been as fortunate. When it came down to scoring...

Going for the Score

State officials have convinced the nation’s top rating agencies to upgrade Louisiana’s credit score, but the fight for fiscal soundness is just beginning. It was the mother of all conference calls....

Schooling the Workforce

While the Legislature debates dual enrollment provisions for the governor’s workforce development package, a rural high school in Vernon Parish is already offering college credits and advanced...

The Unseen Workforce

The state is prepared to spend millions on creating a new labor force that incorporates workers who have been left out — a mission that’ll take more than money and legislation to accomplish. Some...

Access Granted

The tales of two Louisiana tycoons show that government relations can pay off in a big way for business development. In an effort to put a human face on his policy initiatives, Gov. Bobby Jindal...

The Business of Politics - March 2008

One or the other When lawmakers pressed Gov. Bobby Jindal earlier this month to open up more public records in his office, his chief attorney offered an assortment of objections, but none were as...


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