Tax deadline brings out more than 1,000 protestors

A Baton Rouge protest over government spending and taxes drew more than 1,000 people to the State Capitol steps today. The rally was one of at least a dozen scheduled around Louisiana and hundreds more across the nation. The Tax Day protesters at the Capitol were angry about government spending, but some also waved signs condemning high taxes, individual congressional leaders, the Federal Reserve Bank and government intervention in the marketplace. Participants started showing up several hours before the event started at 1 p.m. and parking spots were scarce. Although organizers of the national protests insist the event was nonpartisan, Republican political leaders gravitated to the event. Gov. Bobby Jindal e-mailed his supporters, letting them know about tea parties taking place throughout Louisiana.

Louisiana ranks low for earmarks

A report on pork-barrel spending by a government watchdog group shows that Louisiana ranked below the national average for spending. There was $25.71 in earmarked spending per Louisiana resident this year, according to Citizens Against Government Waste, compared with the national average of $29.60 per U.S. resident. Alaska had the largest amount of wasteful spending, with more than $322 for every resident. Arizona had the lowest, with $11.58 in pork per capita. Overall, Citizens Against Government Waste says Congress spent $19.6 billion on earmarks this year on projects such as $3.8 million for the old Tiger Stadium Conservancy in Detroit and $1.9 million for a water taxi service in Connecticut. See the full report here.

Louisiana holds up better than most in recession

When Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal touts the state's job market and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin sells his city as one of the best places to ride out the recession, it's not just routine boosterism. In the midst of a severe nationwide downturn, the Louisiana economy is holding up better than most. It's a role reversal from a few years ago, when Louisiana was one of the country's weaker states financially following the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.

The state has the 10th lowest unemployment rate and was the only state to add nonfarm jobs in February, the most recent month for which data are available. Sales tax collections in New Orleans have risen close to levels seen before Katrina. And foreclosure rates have remained low by national standards, in part because the state never experienced a housing bubble.

What's unclear is how long the state can keep the downturn's worst demons at bay. The major reconstruction effort that continues more than three years after Katrina partly explains why Louisiana has been fairly insulated from the worst of the recession.

There are other factors that state officials probably wouldn't brag about in better times, such as the relatively stagnant population and the lack of manufacturing jobs, which have been hard hit. LSU economist Loren Scott, who earlier this year worried the state would suffer its own downturn, was stunned by the recent figures. Scott says he now believes Louisiana will hold its own this year, perhaps gaining about 1,300 jobs. "We're keeping our fingers crossed here," he says.

Corridor branding campaign: Wrong focus, wrong time?

It looks like a Baton Rouge Area Foundation effort to create a marketing campaign for the corridor won't be getting state financing anytime soon. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret confirms Peter Mayer Advertising of New Orleans is working on promotional materials for the agency. Moret is a fan of GSD&M, the Austin firm that worked on the "Louisiana to the Rescue" campaign aimed at bringing the creative class to the corridor. But he says he's more interested right now in attracting business that will eventually hire those young professionals. "They did great work, but their campaign was really focused on bringing talent to the state," Moret says. "That's not really our biggest challenge. Our biggest challenge is to bring business to the state."

Moret also says BRAF's initial intent was to raise lots of private sector money that might be supplemented by the state. "Like a lot of things, it ended up being, 'Well, hey, let's get the state to pay for the whole thing,' and that doesn't really work, especially not at that price point ($23 million for a national campaign). I do think we need to be spending $50 million a year marketing the state, if not $100 million; we just can't do it. I would say spend that money right now on LSU rather than a marketing campaign. I really think their stuff is terrific, but we just have a whole bunch of other things that we have to do." Read the full item and the rest of 10/12 Weekly here.—Penny Font

Furniture store moving in old Linens ’N Things building

Home Furniture has signed a 10-year lease for the old Linens ’N Things building adjacent to the Mall of Louisiana and plans to open its second Baton Rouge store there. Officials with Lafayette-based Home Furniture say the 32,400-square-foot store should be open by June. Home Furniture has a store on Airline Highway. Last year, Home Furniture President Randy Paul told the (Lafayette) Advertiser the chain was considering another Baton Rouge location. The chain posted about $60 million in sales at its seven stores in 2007. The Linens ’N Things building has been vacant since late last year, when the chain went out of business.

Charming Charlie store coming to Perkins Rowe

Charming Charlie, a Houston-based accessories store, is set to open its first Louisiana location in Perkins Rowe this summer. The company has applied for a permit to finish out a space in the Barnes & Noble building. Charming Charlie has 14 locations in Texas, but the company plans to eventually open 80 locations across the South, selling jewelry, handbags and sunglasses. The company notes on its Web site that virtually all of its items sell for less than $50.

West Feliciana school superintendent dies

Lloyd Lindsey, West Feliciana Parish school superintendent, died this morning in a Nashville, Tenn., hospital. Lindsey, 64, was seriously injured after falling off a ladder Tuesday night while visiting friends in Tennessee. He had been school superintendent since 1993. Jesse Perkins, assistant superintendent, will take over on an interim basis until a special school board meeting can be held.

News roundup: Obama wants to get the dread out of tax deadline day ... N.O. attractions makes Conde Nast list ... Fed survey finds faint signs of hope

Good luck: President Barack Obama declared on tax-filing day that he aims to take the dread out of deadline day. At a White House event today, Obama says he's working toward "a simpler tax code that rewards work and the pursuit of the American dream." "For too long, we've seen taxes used as a wedge to scare people into supporting policies that increased the burden on working people instead of helping them live their dreams," Obama says. "That has to change, and that's the work that we've begun." Obama met at the White House with several working families to mark April 15—known notoriously as file-or-else day—and underscore his efforts to make the tax code fairer and less complex.

Where to go: Cochon Butcher, a New Orleans restaurant, and Bar Tonique, a French Quarter bar, have been named as two of the hot new attractions by Conde Nast Traveler. Cochon Butcher, Donald Link's addition to his Tchoupitoulas Street restaurant Cochon, was singled out for dishes such as a duck pastrami sandwich, smoky bacon pralines and pickled pig's feet. Bar Tonique, on Rampart Street, was honored for its cocktails made with fresh squeezed juices and homemade tonic water. For the full list, click here.

Getting better? The Federal Reserve says there are some small signs the steep plunge in economic activity that began last fall is starting to level off. The Fed's latest survey of business conditions nationwide found five of its 12 regional banks reporting a moderation in the pace of the economic decline. The Fed says several regions "saw signs that activity in some sectors was stabilizing at a low level ... (but) overall economic activity contracted further or remained weak."

Deadline next week for Influential Women in Business nominations

Business Report is looking for nominees for its annual salute to Influential Women in Business. The awards go to women businesses owners or managers who are making a difference in the Capital Region. Winners will be spotlighted in the June 2 issue of Business Report. All nominations must be made online here. The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Friday, April 24.