Tax & Budget

With the state economy struggling, and tens of thousands of Louisianans moving out of state, businesses and families need tax and budget reform—to give them an incentive to come to, and remain in, Louisiana.

A successful series of across-the-board tax reforms, touching all layers of the tax code—corporate and individual, and sales and income taxes—will promote growth and expand opportunity. Our state deserves a 21st century tax code that encourages growth and taxes individuals and businesses transparently and fairly. Tax reform can spark an economic revolution in Louisiana—if only lawmakers take the initiative to act, and act boldly.

Along with our tax code, our budget process in Louisiana also needs to be reformed. Over the past several years, Louisiana has lurched from budget crisis to budget crisis, with lawmakers gathering for costly special sessions to patch together yet another stopgap solution. But after years of short-term thinking, policy-makers must now embrace a more comprehensive, holistic approach, to prevent the conditions that created the crises in the first place. Coupled with constitutional reforms that will give lawmakers more flexibility to manage the entire state budget, rather than just small portions of it, improvements to the budget process will modernize the state’s practices—bringing long-needed fiscal stability.

Louisiana Bumps Toward the Bottom of Yet Another List

Louisiana Bumps Toward the Bottom of Yet Another List

Louisiana dropped one spot from Number 39 to 40 on the Tax Foundation’s 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index, showing what many businesses and individuals already know: the state’s tax climate needs an overhaul. The report ranks all fifty states based on the collective burdens of each state’s corporate income tax, individual income tax, sales...

By Jamie Tairov

Economic Report October 2023

Economic Report October 2023

Our new report highlights Louisiana’s economic situation based on the most recent data. The report is based on several key factors that indicate how the economy, labor market, and public policy influence the lives of everyday Louisianans. While some of these data indicate a relatively strong labor market–such as the historically low unemployment rate–there are...

By Vance Ginn, Ph.D.

The Economy Isn’t All that Rosy–Louisiana Economic Situation October 2023

The Economy Isn’t All that Rosy–Louisiana Economic Situation October 2023

At first glance, you might think that Louisiana’s economy is doing great. After all, the state’s September 2023 jobs report shows record lows for the unemployment rate at 3.3% and and people unemployed at 67,930.   Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards cheered these data in a press release:   “Louisiana continues to set records for low unemployment....

Louisiana’s Record Savings Should Prompt Tax Breaks

Louisiana’s Record Savings Should Prompt Tax Breaks

The state’s revenue forecasting committee met last week. This was not the much-anticipated annual meeting to update the state’s revenue forecast, but rather one to handle some regular business. There’s rarely anything newsworthy coming out of a September REC, but this time, some pretty astounding news was shared—news that could (and should) spell relief for...

By Jamie Tairov

Debt Reduction is Critical to Louisiana’s Comeback

Debt Reduction is Critical to Louisiana’s Comeback

We recently outlined what’s at stake with each of the Constitutional amendments on the October ballot. Of those, the Pelican Institute has a position on just one: we recommend a yes vote on  Constitutional Amendment Three. Early voting starts Saturday, September 30th and ends on October 7th. Election day is October 14th. It’s a big...

By Jamie Tairov

Poll Shows Strong Support for Tax Reform as Pelican Unveils Plan

Poll Shows Strong Support for Tax Reform as Pelican Unveils Plan

Pelican Institute reform plan would flatten personal and corporate taxes, boost jobs in first year. Baton Rouge — As candidates for Louisiana governor debate the future of the state, a new poll shows Louisiana voters strongly support phasing out the state’s income tax while ushering in fiscal responsibility. Today, the Pelican Institute has released a...

By Jamie Tairov, Vance Ginn, Ph.D.

Is Another Fiscal Cliff Coming?

Is Another Fiscal Cliff Coming?

Louisiana’s Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, the committee of state lawmakers that meets throughout the year to approve state budget-related items, recently met to review the latest five-year budgetary projections. As expected, it doesn’t look good, but it’s important to understand why. Projections FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 Revenues...

By Jamie Tairov

Candidate Questionnaire 2023

Candidate Questionnaire 2023

Does your candidate support jobs and opportunities in Louisiana? Election Day 2023 is fast approaching. Join us in asking candidates if they support transformational change for Louisiana. Use our candidate questionnaire as a resource. 

By Team Pelican

Louisiana Economic Situation—June 2023

Louisiana Economic Situation—June 2023

Key Point: Louisiana’s labor market shows improvement on the surface but there are underlying problems because of poor public policies which can be overcome with the Pelican Institute’s “Comeback Agenda.” Louisiana’s Labor Market: Table 1 shows Louisiana’s labor market information over time until the latest data for May 2023 which was released this month by...

By Vance Ginn, Ph.D.

Big Budget Blowout

Big Budget Blowout

Louisiana’s 2023 Regular Legislative Session ended on June 8th with a bang. Amid much arguing and a lot of untransparent, last-minute maneuvering, the Legislature passed a big-spending budget that busted through its own limits on spending extra taxpayer dollars (also known as the “spending cap” or the “expenditure limit”). When the dust settled, the legislature...

By Jamie Tairov, Vance Ginn, Ph.D.

Louisiana’s Budget Blowout. Time for Some Fiscal Responsibility.

Louisiana’s Budget Blowout. Time for Some Fiscal Responsibility.

$250,000 for marching band uniforms? $50,000 to cut grass? $125,000 to repair a historic barn? These are the kinds of projects that the Louisiana legislature is cramming into the budget–and they’re mortgaging our children’s future to do it. Louisiana’s legislature is at a crossroads. Each member must decide whether to set Louisiana on a course...

By Team Pelican

Helping Louisiana’s Comeback by Eliminating the Corporate Franchise Tax

Helping Louisiana’s Comeback by Eliminating the Corporate Franchise Tax

There’s much discussion in Baton Rouge about how to best allocate scarce taxpayer money that’s overflowing the state’s coffers. A problem with $3 billion in the state’s savings accounts is that everyone has their hands out to receive some of it. But the ones who should be remembered first are the taxpayers. In this discussion,...