Advocate editorial

November 13, 2018

A conservative critique of tax breaks

Homeowners, non-manufacturing businesses and ordinary citizens are the big losers when local and state government give away billions of dollars in property tax breaks for large petrochemical plants. That’s the argument from former Baton Rouge Councilman Ryan Heck, a Republican, who outlined his views about the Industrial Tax Exemption Program in an essay for the far-right blog The Hayride.

Number of the Day

21 - Percentage of Americans that have no money saved for retirement (Source: Northwestern Mutual)
September 24, 2018

A radical shift on immigration policy

President Donald Trump is proposing to make life much harder for legal immigrants to the United States. A new federal rule - long anticipated but filed late Saturday night - would make it more difficult for people to stay in the country if they use “non-cash” forms of public assistance such as housing vouchers, food benefits or Medicare drug benefits.

Number of the Day

24,197 - Number of people on a waiting list for affordable housing vouchers in New Orleans in 2017-18. Overall, the New Orleans area saw a decrease in availability of affordable housing over the past year (Source: HousingNola, 2018 Report Card)
September 11, 2018

Landry lawsuit threatens coverage protections

One of the most popular aspects of the Affordable Care Act is the protection it provides for people with pre-existing conditions from discrimination by health insurance companies.

Number of the Day

$48,000 - The annual income required for a family of four to break into the “middle class” of Louisiana. (Source: Pew Research Center)
September 4, 2018

Challenges and opportunities in public schools

As Louisiana students begin the first full month of school this week, the Nola.com/Times-Picayune editorial board looks at some unlikely success stories in public education - schools with a high percentage of students in poverty that still manage to rack up high test scores.

Number of the Day

22 - Minimum ACT score required for admission to LSU. Under a new ‘holistic’ approach, test scores will be de-emphasized in favor of a more in-depth look at a student’s achievements (Source: The Advocate)