Jamie Carson

3 weeks ago | investlouisiana.org | Jamie Carson

Louisiana voters overwhelmingly rejected four proposed amendments to the state constitution on Saturday, including a complex overhaul of the provisions that govern state tax and budget policy. The vote was a wholesale rejection of plans that were rushed through the Legislature in a November special session at Gov. Jeff Landry’s request, with minimal public input. While Landry was expecting just 12% of registered voters to show up at the polls, actual turnout was much higher at 21%.

1 month ago | freethink.com | Jamie Carson

In Brunswick, Georgia, a predominantly Black community lives in the shadow of industrial facilities, where decades of conventional environmental advocacy have failed to create meaningful change. This isn’t just an anomaly. It’s a pattern repeated across the American South, where traditional climate solutions often overlook the complexities of environmental impact, public health, and community prosperity.

Jan 10, 2025 | investlouisiana.org | Jamie Carson

Work reporting requirements for government safety net programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), do little to improve long-term employment outcomes and instead increase hardship. Teon Hayes and Akeisha Latch of the Center for Law and Social Policy outline the racist roots of these damaging policies: Work requirements are one of the legacies of racist narratives such as Black people and other people of color must be coerced into work.

Jan 6, 2025 | investlouisiana.org | Jamie Carson

Approximately 94,000 former public-sector workers in Louisiana are now eligible to collect more Social Security benefits under legislation that President Joe Biden signed on Sunday. The Social Security Fairness Act, which was co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves of Baton Rouge and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, eliminates federal provisions that reduce benefits for teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees who later moved to the private sector.

Nov 1, 2024 | investlouisiana.org | Jamie Carson

State lawmakers will convene for a three-week special session next month, where Gov. Jeff Landry is pushing them to rewrite the state’s constitution and overhaul our tax structure over a 20-day period  between Election Day and Thanksgiving. The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate’s Clancy DuBos examines the governor’s ‘ambitious’ effort:“Our tax system right now is upside down,” said Jan Moller, the group’s executive director. “Our overall tax burden ranks 43rd in the nation.