By Tierra Smith
BATON ROUGE — Seven bills raising taxes on Louisiana tobacco products are before the House Ways and Means Committee.
If any of them are approved, it would be the second tobacco tax hike in as many years.
Alcohol tax increase probable
By Noah Byrant Ballard
BATON ROUGE — For the most part, Louisiana has not raised taxes on alcohol since 1948. That is likely to change as the State Legislature works to address an historic budget crisis.
‘Best case scenario’ for UL system is bleak
By Sam Karlin and Justin DiCharia
BATON ROUGE — Dan Reneau, University of Louisiana system president, predicted to the Manship School News Service Sunday that under the “best case scenario” for cuts to higher education, at least one university in his system will have to close for two to three weeks and others will have to suspend operations.
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Cigarette tax increase could provide $81M more a year
By Tierra Smith
BATON ROUGE – Seven bills raising taxes on Louisiana’s tobacco products are before the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Frank Hoffmann, R-West Monroe, filed HB3 levies a tax increase from 86 cent to $1.08 per pack. Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, filed HB14 that called for the same tax increase. Rep. Kenny Cox, D-Natchitoches, did as well
Officials warn of temporary closures, layoffs at state’s colleges
By Sam Karlin and Justin DiCharia
BATON ROUGE — The college system that includes Nicholls State University will have to close at least one of its schools temporarily and suspend operations at others under the governor’s “best-case” budget scenario, its top administrator said today.
How was your Valentine’s Day? Louisiana Legislative Special Session Day One
By D.B. Narveson
Today might be Valentine’s Day in the rest of the United States, but here in the Pelican State, February 14 marks the start of the three-week special legislative session.
Local educators question proposal to overhaul state’s retirement system
By Justin DiCharia
Local education experts question a Baton Rouge legislator’s proposal to address a growing state employee pension system burden saying the plan is short-sighted and could hurt efforts to hire and retain quality teachers.
LSU grading system change leads to TOPS eligibility confusion for some students
By Quint Forgey
A change in LSU’s grading system caused a scare for some students who received false notices that their TOPS scholarships had been revoked because they no longer qualified based on their GPAs.
State treasurer says new tax isn’t the cure
By Sam Karlin
State Treasurer John Kennedy, longtime gatekeeper of the state’s financial portfolios and perennial U.S. Senate candidate, says the state should not consider tax increases to ease the current financial crisis until unnecessary spending is eliminated.
Alexander warns state’s budget shortfall could close public universities
By Sam Karlin and Justin DiCharia
The Louisiana Revenue Estimating Conference Wednesday predicted the state’s shortfalls are greater than anticipated, a scenario that was called the start of a new Louisiana recession and prompted LSU President F. King Alexander to warn that schools would be forced to close by April 30.
LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau 