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New Crime Report and Improved Justice Rating

This week the Pelican Institute for Public Policy released a report of crime data in Louisiana, adding important context to conversations about how to best address public safety and improve the justice system. The report was intended to aid policymakers in making decisions grounded in facts, data, and proven policies that increase public safety, reduce...

By Erin Bendily

Louisiana: Judicial Hellhole

December’s arrival means that it is time to take stock of the year that was. “Best of” and “Worst of” lists for movies, albums, and books are compiled, and the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) releases its annual list of Judicial Hellholes. The ATRA is a national grassroots organization dedicated to reforming the civil justice...

By Sarah Harbison

School Choice: Meet Educational Freedom

For nearly three decades, there’s been a movement underway to not only improve and modernize public education but also help parents in search of non-traditional educational options for their child’s education beyond homeschooling, which remains quite popular and continues to grow. The reasons are simple: (1) many believe that our current structure of education was...

By Erin Bendily

Crime In Louisiana: Analyzing the Data

This year, disturbing reports of increased crime have dominated the news, both in Louisiana and nationally. Crime is a serious issue that demands thoughtful solutions to deter criminal behavior and promote public safety. They should be guided by data and evidence, not anecdotes. That’s why Pelican set out to review and better understand the underlying...

Release: Pelican Institute Releases New Report: “Crime In Louisiana: Analyzing the Data”

For media inquiries please contact Chris Lowery (225) 726-1822 or chris@pelicaninstitute.org. New Orleans—On Wednesday, the Pelican Institute for Public Policy released a report titled “Crime in Louisiana: Analyzing the Data.” The report is a data-driven look at Louisiana’s crime numbers and seeks to inform the ongoing debate over criminal justice policy with real facts and...

By Chris Lowery

Taxing Louisiana’s Natural Resources

Last Wednesday, the Louisiana House of Representatives Ways and Means State Tax Structure Subcommittee met for the fourth time in a series of meetings to study the tax structure of Louisiana. Previous meetings were held to discuss an overview and history of various state taxes, including sales taxes and personal and corporate income taxes. This...

By Jamie Tairov

A MySpace Monopoly? lol

Recently, I came across an article titled, “MySpace Is A Natural Monopoly,” written on January 17, 2007. The article is a great reminder that present concerns aren’t always justified and calls for government regulation shouldn’t be our first response. The author made the same arguments about MySpace that some are currently making regarding the tech platforms...

By John Kay

Small Gains In Reading, Still A Ways to Go

This week the Louisiana Department of Education released the annual Fall 2022 Reading Report, which is a summary of the results of reading screeners for public school students enrolled in kindergarten through third grade. Louisiana state law mandates administration of the screener in the first 30 days of each school year and public reporting of...

By Erin Bendily

Five Year Anniversary of Criminal Justice Reform in Louisiana

It’s been five years since the ten bills, colloquially known as criminal justice reform (CJR), passed the legislature and were implemented with bipartisan support. These new laws created alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders and programs to make the transition from prison back into society (known as reentry) more successful. Both had the goal of...

By Jamie Tairov

Louisiana Needs To Join the Flat Tax Revolution

It’s time for Louisiana to join the flat tax revolution. Four states passed a flat personal income tax this year after only four did over the 100 years, bringing the total to 14 states that have or will soon have flat income taxes. Flattening income taxes provides more opportunities for people to flourish, but eliminating them...

By Vance Ginn

Louisiana Economic Situation November 2022

Key Point: Louisiana’s labor market looks okay on the surface, but the labor force is 16,613 (-0.8%) below the COVID-related shutdown in February 2020, and private sector employment is 35,900 (-2.3%) below then. Labor Market: A job is the best path to prosperity as work brings dignity, hope, and purpose to people through the life-long...

By Vance Ginn

Choosing The Gatekeepers

Louisiana once again finds itself atop yet another “naughty” list. Currently, Louisiana has the largest number of occupations regulated by boards on which private sector members are recommended by a trade association. Choosing the Gatekeepers: How Special Interests Control Licensing Board Nominations is a new report from Pacific Legal Foundation. The report considered seventeen occupations...

By Sarah Harbison

Antitrust or Anti-Consumer?

Last year, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Open App Markets Act. The act is an attempt to prevent Apple and Google, who operate App Store and Google Play, from engaging in alleged “anti-competitive practices.” There are several concerns with the act, beginning with the fact that...

By John Kay

Louisiana’s Taxes Need An Overhaul

Originally published in Center Square Louisiana has many of the right characteristics for families to flourish. This includes abundant natural resources and thriving petrochemical, oil and gas, and tourism sectors. In fact, New Orleans was recently ranked as the 9th fastest-growing city for 2022 by the American Growth Project. They note that the worker shortages...

By Vance Ginn

New Crime Report and Improved Justice Rating

New Crime Report and Improved Justice Rating

Louisiana: Judicial Hellhole

Louisiana: Judicial Hellhole

School Choice: Meet Educational Freedom

School Choice: Meet Educational Freedom

Crime In Louisiana: Analyzing the Data

Crime In Louisiana: Analyzing the Data

Release: Pelican Institute Releases New Report: “Crime In Louisiana: Analyzing the Data”

Release: Pelican Institute Releases New Report: “Crime In Louisiana: Analyzing the Data”

Taxing Louisiana’s Natural Resources

Taxing Louisiana’s Natural Resources

A MySpace Monopoly? lol

A MySpace Monopoly? lol

Small Gains In Reading, Still A Ways to Go

Small Gains In Reading, Still A Ways to Go

Five Year Anniversary of Criminal Justice Reform in Louisiana

Five Year Anniversary of Criminal Justice Reform in Louisiana

Louisiana Needs To Join the Flat Tax Revolution

Louisiana Needs To Join the Flat Tax Revolution

Louisiana Economic Situation November 2022

Louisiana Economic Situation November 2022

Choosing The Gatekeepers

Choosing The Gatekeepers

Antitrust or Anti-Consumer?

Antitrust or Anti-Consumer?

Louisiana’s Taxes Need An Overhaul

Louisiana’s Taxes Need An Overhaul

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