Our Work

These LBP publications are available to enhance your advocacy and education efforts.  Please contact karenmiller@lano.org if you are interested in receiving printed copies of these booklets for free (shipping extra).

Reports and Commentaries

Medicaid Supports Economic Growth, Creates Jobs in Louisiana

A new report looks at Medicaid’s impact on Louisiana’s economy and is the second of two papers highlighting the program’s vital role in protecting the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

Medicaid in Louisiana: Improving Health, Protecting Children

A new report by the Louisiana Budget Project highlights the importance of the state’s health-care safety-net for children and families, as well as the state’s economy. It is the first in a series of two papers highlighting the key role Medicaid plays in protecting the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

Commentary: Constitutional Amendment No. 1 Would Make It Harder to Provide Essential Public Services

A proposed constitutional amendment on Louisiana’s November 19 statewide ballot to prohibit taxes on the sale of homes or businesses would damage the ability of state and local governments to provide revenue needed to support health care, education, and other essential services.

Proposal to raid tobacco settlement fund benefits the well-to-do at the expense of Louisiana’s working families

A new report by the Louisiana Budget Project urges Louisianans to vote against Amendment 1 in the upcoming October 22nd election. It analyzes the ill effects of using the constitutionally-protected Millennium Trust Fund to free additional dollars in the state general fund.

Commentary: Constitutional Amendment No. 4: A Sensible Solution to Stabilize the Rainy Day Fund

A recent commentary by the Louisiana Budget Project urges voters to approve Amendment No. 4 on the October 22nd primary ballot.

Payday Lending- Trapping Louisiana’s Working Families in a Cycle of Debt

A new report by the Louisiana Budget Project exposes the predatory-lending industry of payday lenders and urges lawmakers to put an end to this usurious practice.

2011 Legislative Wrap-up: The No-No Session

A new report by the Louisiana Budget Project reviews the state budget for the new FY2012 fiscal year.

The Real Numbers Behind Louisiana’s Public Employment Statistics

The report analyzes comparable state-to-state data to inform the recent debate concerning whether Louisiana has too many public employees.

Applying Income Tax to Social Security Would Preserve Vital Services

The report proposes applying Louisiana’s income tax to Social Security to generate $104 million in much needed revenue.

Expanding Louisiana’s Sales Tax—A Little from Everyone Means a Lot for Louisiana

The report discusses expanding the services that are subject to Louisiana’s 4 percent tax. Louisiana would generate over $141 million in additional revenue if it modernized its sales tax to include personal services.

Deduction for Federal Income Taxes: A Lopsided Loophole Costs Louisiana Millions

The report analyzes a tax loophole that costs Louisiana $643 million a year by allowing Louisianans to reduce their state taxable income by the amount they paid in federal income taxes that year.

Governor Jindal’s Executive Budget: Doing Less With Less — Again

This report reviews and analyzes Governor Bobby Jindal’s proposed Fiscal Year 2012 Executive Budget.

Raising Cigarette Taxes Will Increase Revenues, Lower Health Care Costs, and Reduce Smoking– A Win, Win, Win

This report addresses how Louisiana’s cigarette tax directly relates to the state’s poor health record and extremely high smoking rate.

Two New Tax Brackets for High-Income Households Would Limit State Economic Damage

This report proposes a solution that will limit cuts to crucial services. By creating new tax brackets and raising rates for the highest-income households, the state would be able to sustain its investments in education, health care, public safety, and other services.

Itemized Deduction for State and Local Income Taxes

This report exposes a surprising loophole in Louisiana’s income tax forms that costs Louisiana over $100 million dollars of revenue each year.

TOPS and Go Grants: Louisiana’s Financial Aid Programs Reward Too Much Mediocrity and Provide Too Little for Those in Need

This report examines policy changes to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) and Go Grants, two programs which provide tuition assistance to Louisiana residents seeking higher education at state schools.

PAYGO: A Tool to Empower the Legislature to Engage in More Responsible Budgeting

This report discusses a rule that would provide a responsible budget control mechanism for Louisiana that would empower the Legislature to prioritize budgetary expenditures, tax expenditures, and revenue policy in a way that provides for the needs of state residents.

Combined Reporting: Leveling the Playing Field to Help Louisiana’s Home-Grown Businesses

This report explores the loopholes which multi-state corporations take advantage of in order to avoid paying millions of dollars in state taxes.

Home to Roost: Income Tax Cuts Costing State Millions Needed for Services

This report discusses the consequences of the state income tax cuts.

Louisiana’s Hidden State Budget

This report discusses Louisiana’s $7 billion tax exemption budget and highlights the need for the state to shed more light on this hidden, tax-side spending.

Louisiana’s Fiscal Crisis

This report reviews Governor Jindal’s recently released 2011 Executive Budget. The report finds that the Administration’s stated budgetary goal to “realign the size and cost of government to more sustainable, pre-Katrina levels” does not reflect the expansion of post-Katrina demand for government services.

Scary Movies – Louisiana’s 2011 Budget

This report previews the Governor’s Executive Budget, schedued for release on February 12, 2010.

Eliminating State Income Tax: Good for Whom?

This report reviews several bills from the Louisiana 2009 regular legislative session that would eliminate Louisiana’s state income tax,without mandating any replacement revenues.

Targeting Tax Cuts for Seniors

This report reviews several bills from Louisiana’s 2009 regular legislative session that propose to further reduce the amount of state taxes paid by individuals over 65, some of which fully exempt them from all state income taxation.

Tobacco Tax Increase: Raise the Tax or Bear the Burden

This report analyzes the Louisiana Healthier Families Act, House Bill 889, from Louisiana’s 2009 regular legislative session that provides for an increase of the tax on cigarettes by 50 cents.

Federal Stimulus Dollars for Louisiana

This report reviews the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) that became law on February 17, 2009 and the impact on Louisiana.

The State of Working in Louisiana

This report documents the status of Louisiana’s economy and the issues facing its workforce. This period encompasses a dynamic era of change for Louisiana in terms of state government leadership and economic reverberations from the storms of 2005. The recommendations in this report converge with the solutions to poverty advocated through the joint efforts of LANO’s Community Solutions Institute and The Louisiana Association of United Ways. They also complement the state’s efforts in educational improvements and industry diversification.

Budget Basics 2008

Budget Basics is designed to help all Louisiana citizens and nonprofit leaders better understand the state’s budget, advocate for fiscal policy and affect the financial priorities of the state.

EITC: A Tax Credit That Works for Louisiana’s Working Families

The EITC provides tax cuts for low-income families paying payroll and sales taxes. The credit also creates an incentive for individuals to join and remain in the workforce, and produces a significant boost in our local economies. The benefits of a state EITC match would reach all corners of the state and all types of communities – distributed fairly evenly among rural, suburban, and urban areas – and would help make our state a better place for families to work and to live.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Louisiana’s Tax Exemption Budget

Louisiana’s direct state spending routinely receives harsh scrutiny from legislators, the public and the media. But each year, Louisiana spends billions of dollars in areas that receive virtually no public examination – tax exemptions. More attention to the impact of tax policy is necessary to get a complete picture of the financial status of the state.

Presentations

Payday Lending in Louisiana: Trapping Working Families in a Cycle of Debt

Louisiana at the Crossroads: Responsible Responses to Louisiana’s Fiscal Crisis

Outreach

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