From the COVID-19 outbreak and the dip in oil prices to climbing unemployment figures and uncertainty around every corner, this is no time to maintain the status quo in state government. Our elected officials need to be on the lookout for future threats, new strategic alliances and fresh sources of income, writes Jeremy Alford in his new opinion piece.
While most of the public has focused its attention on the Legislature and governor’s office, and rightly so, a few of our statewide elected officials are raising red flags and planting new ideas.
For example, the state Bond Commission heard the findings of a report last week from the legislative auditor about the effects local governments could feel from the economic downturn and reduction of oil prices brought about by COVID-19.
But one important topic—politics—seemed to be missing from the report. “Did you take into account in your report any possibility of voters beginning to reject tax renewals or tax elections?” asked Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin.
Read Alford’s full column about the ways lawmakers will be forced to think outside the box to keep things going even if voters reject tax renewals.
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, atLaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
