Didja Know?

In Louisiana, nearly 1 in 6 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 are not plugged into work or school. We call this population Opportunity Youth. The latest episode of the Didja Know Podcast focuses on how state policies and institutions can support these young people.

Louisiana's economy works best when all citizens have access to great schools, affordable, high-quality health care, strong infrastructure, and a safety net for when families fall on hard times. A package of bills working its way through the state Legislature would pull Louisiana farther away from these goals, and instead leave the governor and legislators with massive budget gaps to fill in the near future. 

House Bills 133 and 337 would increase Louisiana's Earned Income Tax Credit and create a state-level Child Tax Credit, respectively. Neva Butkus of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy joins the Didja Know? Podcast to explain the many benefits of working family tax credits.

On the latest episode of Invest in Louisiana's podcast, executive director Jan Moller and policy analyst Paul Braun preview the 2025 legislative session and the state budget debate.

On Saturday, March 29, Louisianans will weigh in on four harmful amendments to the state constitution. Ashley Shelton, Founder, President, and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and attorney William Most join the podcast to discuss the proposals, including the unusual outcome of a lawsuit challenging a misleading tax amendment (Amendment 2). 

A Republican budget blueprint that's moving through Congress would cut $880 billion, largely from the Medicaid program that serves people with low incomes and disabilities. In Louisiana, where 1 in 3 people are covered by the federal health care program, the cuts could force hospitals, nursing homes and other private care providers to shut their doors. Invest in Louisiana's Jan Moller and Courtney Foster discuss the far-reaching consequences of gutting Medicaid.

The Didja Know? Podcast is back! In the first episode after our two-year hiatus, Invest in Louisiana's Jan Moller and Paul Braun explain why Amendment 2, which will appear on the March 29 statewide ballot, would take Louisiana in the wrong direction.

In this week's episode, LBP executive director Jan Moller and budget and tax policy analyst Paul Braun discuss how lawmakers are tackling tax and budget bills as spending debates heat up at the Capitol. 

The 2023 Louisiana Legislative session gaveled in last week. LBP's Jan Moller and Stacey Roussel break down two bills that could have a meaningful impact on Louisiana families: House Bill 162 by Rep. Matt Willard, which would double the state Earned Income Tax Credit, and House Bill 596 by Rep. Aimee Freeman, which would establish a statewide paid family and medical leave program. 

In the latest edition of the Didja Know? Podcast, LBP executive director Jan Moller and the organization's newest policy analyst, Paul Braun, break down Gov. John Bel Edwards' 2023-24 executive budget and the looming fiscal cliff the state faces in 2025.

LBP's Jan Moller and Stacey Roussel break down The State of Working Louisiana, a new report by the Louisiana Budget Project. The report offers an in-depth look at these and other trends in the state's economy, as seen through the eyes of its workers.

On the latest edition of Didja Know? LBP executive director Jan Moller and policy analyst Jackson Voss explain the eight proposed constitutional amendments that voters will see on their ballots for the Nov. 8 primary elections.

The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau paints a complicated picture of how Louisianans fared during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the new episode of Didja Know? LBP's Executive Director, Jan Moller, and Deputy Executive Director, Stacey Roussel, analyze the data and explain why it matters.

The latest episode of the Didja Know? Podcast dropped on Wednesday. Listen to LBP executive director Jan Moller and director of public affairs and outreach Davante Lewis recap the 2022 Louisiana legislative session and preview next week's special session for lawmakers to redraw racist congressional maps.

In the latest episode of LBP's weekly podcast, executive director Jan Moller speaks with our safety-net director Danny Mintz about legislation to tackle hunger on college campuses and to ensure that public school students have enough food to eat during the summer months.

The latest episode of LBP's Didja Know? Podcast dropped on Monday morning. Listen to Executive Director Jan Moller and Economic Policy analyst Jackson Voss recap the Legislature wrapping up its budget deliberations and how lawmakers erred by not directing some of the money to Louisiana families struggling to pay their bills.

It was a bad week for low-income folks, local governments and many others at the Capitol. LBP's Jan Moller and Davante Lewis recap Week 9 of the legislative session and preview the week ahead.

In the latest episode of the Didja Know? Podcast, LBP executive director Jan Moller and policy analyst Alison Cohen react to the increased revenue forecast from the Revenue Estimating Conference and discuss budget and tax issues for the 2022 legislative session, including a $435 million tax cut that would prematurely roll back a temporary sales tax and force cuts to health care, higher education and other vital programs and services.

An estimated 15 million Americans could potentially lose their Medicaid health insurance coverage when the federal government declares an official end to the public health emergency associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. In the latest edition of the Didja Know? Podcast, LBP's Jan Moller and Courtney Foster discuss how Louisiana can ensure that eligible Medicaid recipients don't lose their coverage when that time comes.

In this week's episode of the Didja Know? Podcast, LBP's Jan Moller and Davante Lewis recap the budget bills moving out of the House and over to the Senate and discuss legislation concerning predatory payday loans.

The latest episode of LBP's Didja Know? Podcast dropped on Monday morning. Click here to hear Executive Director Jan Moller and Deputy Director Stacey Roussel recap week five of the legislative session and discuss major health care and public benefits legislation.

Last week, the Legislature returned after a contentious veto override session that saw lawmakers deny black voters fair representation in Congress. In this week's episode of the Didja Know? Podcast, LBP's Jan Moller and Davante Lewis talk about the week that was and what's on tap for week five of the legislative session.

In this week's episode of the Didja Know? podcast, Jan Moller speaks with Ashley Shelton of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice about last week's veto override and the fight to draw fair legislative districts in Louisiana that ensure everyone has equal representation.

The latest episode of LBP's Didja Know? Podcast dropped on Monday morning. Listen to LBP Executive Director Jan Moller and Director of Safety Net Policy Danny Mintz discuss the opportunities and threats facing Louisiana safety net policies during the 2022 legislative session.

In the latest episode of the Didja Know? Podcast, LBP executive director Jan Moller and economic opportunity analyst Jackson Voss discuss A Recovery Agenda for Louisiana, which lays out how lawmakers can use $3 billion in extra cash to build a more inclusive and equitable economic recovery after two years of pandemic and natural disasters.

The Louisiana Budget Project's podcast is back for the legislative session. In our newest episode, LBP executive director Jan Moller and public affairs director Davante Lewis talk about the major issues legislators face as they head back to the Capitol. Click here to listen, or subscribe to Didja Know? wherever you get your podcasts.

In the latest edition of our podcast, LBP's Davante Lewis breaks down Amendment 2 on the Nov. 13 ballot and explains why the tax swap package is not tax reform.

In the latest edition of LBP's podcast, director of public affairs and outreach Davante Lewis discusses the student loan debt crisis in America, how it's affecting Louisiana and what can be done to fix it.

In the latest edition of LBP's podcast, director of safety net policy Danny Mintz explains why Louisiana's children need a permanent Child Tax Credit expansion and why Congress shouldn't put barriers in place - like an earnings requirement - that would cut kids off from aid.

In the latest edition of LBP's podcast, policy director Stacey Roussel and economic opportunity analyst Jackson Voss explain the latest U.S. Census data, the crucial role of federal pandemic aid in keeping people from falling into poverty and why the economic recovery legislation being developed on Capitol Hill must address the weaknesses in our economy laid bare by the pandemic. Click here to listen.

In this episode, LBP executive director Jan Moller and director of public affairs and outreach Davante Lewis join the show to talk about the tax reform debate dominating the first week of the legislative session, and why lawmakers should use revenue from the repeal of the federal income tax deduction to invest in people as opposed to simply substituting one tax break for the rich for another tax break for the rich.

Louisiana will receive $3 billion from the American Rescue Plan. Business lobbyists want part of the money to be used for bailing out the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund, and have found an ally in Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration. But LBP policy analyst Neva Butkus thinks this is a bad idea. In our latest episode, she breaks down the structural issues with the state's unemployment insurance system - and how to fix them - and better ways to use federal recovery dollars so that they are reaching the people who have suffered the most during the pandemic.

Louisiana voters will decide on seven amendments to the state constitution in the November 2020 elections, along with an eighth ballot measure that deals with the legalization of sports gambling. While most of these measures will have little effect on the day-to-day lives of most citizens, two amendments have the potential to inflict long-term damage on the ability of state and local governments to provide basic services. LBP Executive Director Jan Moller joins the podcast to highlight what's at stake in the proposals. You can read LBP's full guide to the constitutional amendments here.

In this episode, we recap the first week of the special legislative session, the status of budget negotiations (and what's driving them) and explain why it's vital that lawmakers prioritize race equity in the Covid-19 recovery effort.

In this episode, we talk to state Rep. Mandie Landry about the decision by Louisiana Republicans to block an emergency coronavirus election plan and a bill she has authored that would expand mail-in voting. Then, we chat with Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice about protecting democracy during a pandemic.

In this episode, we talk to LBP policy analyst Neva Butkus about unemployment insurance. We break down what the recently passed coronavirus stimulus bills do for these benefits and what Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Workforce Commission should do to take full advantage of the new federal funding.

In this episode Davante Lewis, Jan Moller and Danny Mintz give updates on how the coronavirus is affecting Louisiana: the suspension of the Legislature, what the economic recession will do to the state budget and how food assistance programs are a key part of the state’s response.

After a winter hiatus, the Didja Know? Podcast is back! In our first episode of 2020, LBP executive director Jan Moller and policy analyst Neva Butkus discuss the newest stalemate at the Revenue Estimating Conference, a lawsuit filed by Gov. John Bel Edwards against Treasurer John Schroder over unclaimed property and the proposed state budget for Louisiana. Click here to listen.

J. Miles Coleman joins the Didja Know? Podcast to do some post-election analysis for the gubernatorial primary. Miles is the Associate Editor for the University of Virginia Center for Politics, Sabato's Crystal Ball. His work has appeared in outlets such as the Washington Post, POLITICO and The Rachel Maddow Show. During our discussion, we analyze the geographic breakdown of votes, the impact of black voter turnout, the Trump effect and much more.

The Didja Know? Podcast is back! In this episode LBP's Stacey Roussel and Neva Butkus break down Louisiana’s state-level Census data (poverty, child poverty, median household income, income inequality). What strides has Louisiana made in the past year? What policies do we need to keep moving forward? Also, LBP’s executive director Jan Moller explains our views on the four proposed amendments to the state constitution that voters will see on their ballots and gives a rundown on the state of the governor's race. Click here to listen.

On this episode we're talking to Danielle Satawa about the diaper tax and Stacey Rousell on the shortfalls of a replacement for the Affordable Care Act that are being being pushed in the Legislature. We wrap up the show recapping the last two weeks of the legislative session and what we can expect as we come down the home stretch to sine die.

On this episode we’re talking to Rep. Royce Duplessis of New Orleans about his bill to lift the statewide preemption law that forbids local governments from setting their own minimum wage. Next we talk to Neva Butkus about what lawmakers can still do this legislative session to reform Louisiana’s antiquated tax code. She also discusses the 65th anniversary of the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education and the segregation that still exists in public schools despite it. Finally, Jan Moller recaps the last few weeks of the legislative session and what we should be paying attention to as we enter the home stretch.

In this episode we talk to Davante Lewis about Invest in Louisiana, a proactive policy campaign that recently launched. Next, we discuss what a paid leave policy would look like in Louisiana with Stacey Roussel. Lastly Jan Moller recaps the first two weeks of the legislative session and previews what’s on the horizon.

In the inaugural edition of the Louisiana Budget Project’s “Didja Know?” podcast, we talk all things 2019 Louisiana Legislative Session. Our guests include three members of the LBP team who break down the important issues and pieces of legislation that our organization will be focusing on over the next two months. They include Jan Moller, Executive Director, Neva Butkus, Policy Analyst, and Davante Lewis, Public Affairs and Outreach Coordinator.