by Eric Peterson, Director of Policy During the holiday season, Louisianans have more on their mind than the latest state economic reports. Yet as we enter the New Year, it’s important to understand where our state’s economy stands. Two reports, one from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the other from the Bureau of...

This hasn’t been a year of positive news. Over the last few months, however, there have been some bright spots for Louisiana and the nation’s economies, as they have been steadily moving in the right direction. But, the latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics has some sobering news for those who expected...

The most recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed the U.S. economy is about halfway to recovery. Meanwhile, Louisiana job numbers are still falling well behind the rest of the nation. Overall, the report wasn’t surprising, as it revealed employment rose by 1.4 million in the month of August while the unemployment...

Today, Governor John Bel Edwards announced Louisiana will begin moving into Phase 3 of the state’s economic restrictions on Friday. Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer released the following statement in response to this decision: “Gov. Edwards’ announcement today is a step in the right direction to get Louisiana working. After months of urging Louisiana leaders to...

Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its latest state-by-state jobs numbers, which featured some overall good news for Louisiana. The state’s June unemployment rate dropped by 4.5 percent, dipping under 10 percent for the first time in months. While this headline shows some improvement in Louisiana’s economic situation, there are reasons to take...

Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Louisiana will begin implementing Phase 1 of the federal government’s reopening guidelines on May 15. Pelican released the following statement from CEO Daniel Erspamer regarding the state’s plan to reopen Louisiana’s economy and ease lockdown restrictions. “For the last month, the Pelican Institute has urged Louisiana leaders to begin...

by Daniel Erspamer, CEO of the Pelican Institute Throughout our shared history, Americans – and Louisianans, in particular – have faced down many crises, from war to drought to floods to illness. Through determination, innovation and ingenuity, a strong sense of community and patriotism, and a stubborn will to succeed, we’ve prevailed. These principles are...

On Thursday, the federal government released its plan to reopen America’s economy. The Pelican Institute’s CEO Daniel Erspamer released a statement today supporting the federal guidelines and also calling calling on state lawmakers to begin implementation of Phase 1 of this plan on May 1. See below for the full statement. “The Phase 1 guidelines...