Daily Dime

Louisiana has more than enough revenue on hand to provide meaningful pay raises for public school teachers and college faculty, maintain access to early childhood programming and continue investing in repairs and construction projects that have languished for years. But that can only happen if two-thirds of legislators agree to lift a constitutional cap on state appropriations, which is facing resistance from conservatives in the House who are being egged on by far right interest groups.… Read more...

Crime is the top election-year concern of Louisianans, and most residents remain pessimistic about the state’s direction. But state residents are growing more confident about the state’s economy, though they remain skeptical about the ability of government to solve problems. The findings are from the first installment of the annual Louisiana Survey, released Thursday by LSU’s Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs. … Read more...

Louisiana is flush with historic amounts of tax revenue, but legislators can’t use that money to give teachers a pay raise, keep children enrolled in child-care centers and rebuild critical infrastructure unless they agree to raise a constitutional limit on state spending.… Read more...

Unemployment benefits are an essential part of the public safety net and provide critical financial support to Louisiana workers when they lose their job due to no fault of their own. But a bill working its way through the Legislature would increase hardship for people when they need help the most.… Read more...