Paul Braun Archives - Louisiana Budget Project

June 6, 2018

Reflections on a meltdown

The Legislature’s failure to agree on a revenue package that supports the budget bill they passed brought swift condemnation from editorial writers and opinion columnists throughout the state.

Number of the Day

$.17 - The difference in sales tax on a $100 purchase between the House GOP plan (4.33 percent) and the one backed by broad majorities in the House and Senate (4.5 percent). (Source: Simple arithmetic)

May 31, 2018

A real revenue solution emerges in Senate

After a nearly two-year wait, members of the Louisiana Senate finally had an opportunity to weigh in on tax legislation that would address the state’s fiscal cliff on Wednesday evening.

Number of the Day

7.9 - Number of infant mortalities per 1,000 births to African American mothers in New Orleans, compared to 3.5 infant deaths per 1,000 births to white mothers in the city. (Source: The Data Center)

March 21, 2018

Requiring unanimous juries

Louisiana is one of only two states - Oregon is the other - that do not require a unanimous jury verdict for felony convictions. It’s one of the reasons the Pelican State leads the nation, and the world, in incarceration.

Number of the Day

32,814 - Projected number of prisoners in Louisiana in 2027 if all criminal justice reforms are left in place, a 10 percent decrease in the projected prison population absent reform. (Source: The Pew Trusts)

February 28, 2018

Deal or no deal?

The success or failure of the ongoing special session will likely come down to what happens today on the floor of the Louisiana House.

Number of the Day

1,000+ - The number of people in Louisiana who died of opioid overdose in 2016, which is more than the number of deaths from motor vehicle accidents, homicides, or suicides. (Source: Louisiana Department of Health)