Latest news with #ConstitutionalAmendment2
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Landry tells teachers it's ‘back to the drawing board' after pay raise plan fails
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Gov. Jeff Landry said it is 'back to the drawing board' when it comes to securing a salary increase for teachers in Louisiana. That message was part of a letter Landry sent to educators this week, following the failure of Constitutional Amendment 2 during the March 29 election. In the letter, he described the amendment as a potential 'lasting solution' that would have addressed both teacher compensation and state retirement debt. Ahead of the election, Landry released a video urging voters to support Amendment 2, calling it a 'game changer' for Louisiana. In the address, he promoted the measure as a way to permanently lower income taxes, protect the homestead exemption, double senior tax deductions, and give teachers a permanent raise by using savings from retirement debt reduction. He tied the amendment to his broader goals of lowering crime, reforming education, and eliminating government waste. Landry said the measure 'would have paid off retirement debt and increased your pay with those savings,' outlining a proposed $2,000 annual salary increase for teachers and a $1,000 raise for support staff. 50 Cent ignites social media with video supporting Louisiana Amendment Two 'By eradicating nearly 25% of the total debt in the teacher retirement system, the Amendment not only bolstered the security of your retirement benefits but also saved taxpayers over a billion dollars in interest payments,' Landry wrote in the letter to teachers. But a majority of Louisiana voters rejected the proposal, with 65% voting against it and only 35% in favor. 'With the setback faced by Amendment 2 – we are back to the drawing board, as no existing alternative recurring resources exist to fund the permanent salary increase you deserve,' Landry wrote. He emphasized the need for budgeting practices that are both fiscally sound and supportive of educators, stating, 'We remain committed to working with stakeholders and the Legislature to ensure we pass a budget that compensates our teachers appropriately and protects the taxpayer.' A copy of Landry's full letter to teachers can be found here. Gov. Jeff Landry celebrates as Louisiana students' rankings move up in Nation's Report Card Social Security walks back cuts to phone services, announces 'anti-fraud check' Judges temporarily block 5 Venezuelans' deportations under Alien Enemies Act DOJ asks Supreme Court to intervene in independent agency firings Local group honors Black mothers who died during childbirth List: What stores, restaurants will close for Easter 2025? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louisiana Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit against tax reform amendment
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit challenging an amendment on tax and budget reform set to appear on the March 29 ballot. The March 18 ruling stated that voters should decide on the proposed constitutional amendment at the polls. 'Late last night, the Louisiana Supreme Court sided with my office's defense of ballot language for Constitutional Amendment 2 – which cuts taxes and makes teachers pay raises permanent. Voting on Amendment 2 will proceed as scheduled,' Murrill said in a statement. 'The Louisiana Legislature, elected by the people, passed Constitutional Amendment 2 with a bipartisan majority in both the House and Senate. Every Senate Democrat joined every Senate Republican in passing Constitutional Amendment 2 to send it to the voters for final approval. This case was flawed and attempted to silence the voice of the people. The people can now speak,' Gov. Jeff Landry said in a March 19 statement. Louisiana voters to decide on major tax code changes in March election The lawsuit, filed by a pastor and two educators from East Baton Rouge and Orleans parishes, challenged House Bill 7, arguing that the measure is too broad and the ballot language is misleading. The plaintiffs argued the measure violates the Louisiana Constitution's 'one object' rule, which requires constitutional amendments to focus on a single subject unless they revise an entire article. Voters can cast their vote during the March 29 election. Early voting ends on Saturday, March 22. March 29 Election: What voters need to know about early voting, absentee ballots Trump speaks to Zelenskyy about ceasefire Fed chair holds rates steady Could AI replace American workers? State senator to file bill that would create St. George school system Louisiana Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit against tax reform amendment Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Civil liberties groups oppose LA constitutional amendments on March 29 ballot
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Governor Jeff Landry is pressing voters to say 'yes' to four amendments to the state constitution. The amendments on the March 29 ballot include issues like juvenile crime and the state's tax code. The amendments are generating quite a buzz, even sparking Say No to Them All, Y'all campaign. Voters will be asked to approve Constitutional Amendment 2 to rewrite the state's tax code. Some legislators are promising teacher pay raises, but according to Jan Moller, the executive director of Invest in Louisiana, the language isn't clear cut. Former New Orleans Police Department sergeant sentenced in wire fraud case 'What this does is it requires or asks local school boards to pay teachers a little more, and it would take away a stipend that the teachers have been getting for the last two years,' explained Moller. 'So, teachers are getting the same amount of money as they are right now, if this passes.' Amendment 3 expands the list of crimes in which juveniles can be transferred to adult prisons. Critics, like Kristen Rome, the executive director of the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights, say state law already allows prosecutors to charge juveniles who commit serious crimes as adults. 'This particular amendment takes out the transparency in that process and just creates a blanket pathway for the legislature to decide on its own, without any checks and balances, without any folks weighing in what can be transferred,' said Rome. Amendment 1 gives the legislature the power to create new courts, and Amendment 4 allows judicial vacancies to be filled on the earliest possible election date. Revitalization efforts continue in Metairie's Fat City with second building demolition Political Analyst Jeff Crouere says voters must digest a lot of information in a short period of time and is predicting a low voter turnout. 'When you're talking about redistribution of how the money goes, when you're incentivizing teachers and you're giving teachers a pay raise, that could generate support among those groups and get to that hopeful goal of the 20% turnout.' Early voting for the March 29 election begins March 15 and will last through March denied for man accused in crash that left two dead in Gretna US consumer confidence drops by most since August 2021 Crockett delivers blunt message to Musk: 'F— off' WATCH: Officers cut open man's 'narco wig' at Colombian airport to reveal cocaine Man allegedly kicks CBP supervisor three times in face at port of entry Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
