The Pelican Institute’s Citizen’s Guide to the Louisiana Budget offers an overview and brief history of Louisiana’s operating and capital budgets and outlines how the state can begin to create a more responsible, sustainable budget over time that remains adaptable to the needs of Louisiana.

The Citizen’s Guide shows how Louisiana’s budget has grown unsustainably over the last decade, from the expansion of Medicaid in 2016 (and the associated sales tax increase), to the influx of federal dollars due to the pandemic and multiple natural disasters. In addition to explaining the dollars and cents of the budget—and highlighting challenges that legislators face—the Citizen’s Guide makes recommendations for sound budgetary practices for the future, including limiting the growth of spending, freeing up budgetary silos, and refusing to cave to the pressure of raising taxes.

“With the state’s economy struggling and tens of thousands of Louisianans moving out of state, families and businesses are hungry for tax relief and an assurance that the state government will use tax dollars effectively. That begins with a responsible state budget,” Erspamer noted. “The Pelican Institute’s Citizen’s Guide to the Louisiana Budget makes it easy for every citizen to understand how important a responsible state budget is to Louisiana’s Comeback Agenda.”

Louisianans can read the Citizen’s Guide to the Louisiana Budget here.

Stay tuned for the Recommendations for Responsible Budgeting later this week.