Issue Position: Budget

Issue Position

Louisiana's Budget Crisis Does Not Have to Be Never-ending. Our leaders need to continue taking the necessary steps to end our never-ending budget crisis. Our lawmakers have been faced with a myriad of new pressures from weak revenue growth and rising long-term costs across the country. Louisiana in particular has had a never-ending budget crises caused by poor fiscal management. Louisiana ranked #37 in Overall Fiscal Condition in 2018, with long-term liabilities, on average, increasing over time. The state's overwhelming debt has undermined the vast economic potential of Louisiana, especially New Orleans. Fiscal reform and budget stabilization will require taking a serious look at constitutionally dedicated funds, the root cause of the issue.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Louisiana had a debt of over $17.5B in fiscal year 2015, the year when the state's financial health significantly degraded under former Governor Bobby Jindal. In 2018, Governor John Bel Edwards made significant progress in budget reform, facilitating a bipartisan budget compromise that led Louisiana to cut taxes by $600 million. Louisiana is now running budget surpluses for the first time in a decade. We have to continue in this direction by taking actions such as making the tax system less convoluted and lowering the sales tax, a regressive tax that disproportionately burdens low-income individuals in our city. District 98 needs a committed representative prepared to continue bringing budget stability to our state and building a financially secure future for Louisiana.

Louisiana faces many fiscal and budgeting problems, but these are not insurmountable. By approaching budget reform like other successful states with a focus on sustainability and strategic implementation, our state can get on a better path for the future.

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