LaPolitics: Why was the Louisiana Economic Development overhaul needed? How was the department falling short?
Adam Knapp, CEO of The Committee of 100 for Economic Development: Louisiana has had some really important economic development announcements recently but, overall, the state’s performance has not been as competitive as other Southern states. LED’s strategy and structure hadn’t been evaluated in many years, and other states have incorporated more flexibility, economic strategic planning and private sector leadership into their efforts. Moreover, the state’s strategy and approach seem to change with every governor, and you don’t see that with some of the better-performing states.
What are the most important changes you would like to see in LED’s new strategic plan?
First, I think the fact that there will be an economic development strategic plan will be an important change, one with a private sector advisory board looking at the details and holding the state accountable to its goals. There’s a lot of discussion that the state should look more to the metropolitan regions’ plans and coordinate to support them rather than having a top-down direction. Also, the hope is that it won’t simply be LED’s strategic plan, but Louisiana’s plan, outlining a whole-of-government approach to economic growth.
What is the most encouraging bright spot in Louisiana’s economy right now?
Investments and projects tied to the future of energy continue to be hot, and geographically spread out from north Louisiana and CenLA to the Interstate 10 corridor. The climate tech/clean tech space also pops up as a big opportunity in entrepreneurship. In other areas of the tech sector like data centers, there are also some interesting advantages for parts of Louisiana.
What is the biggest cause for economic concern?
We aren’t investing enough as a state in site development and site readiness, or in business development outreach.
Do you believe a tax-focused special session, or even a constitutional convention, is needed this year?
The Committee of 100 has been calling for comprehensive tax reform since 2015’s major study of the state tax code that we funded, done by the Tax Foundation. It’s still available online if anyone wants to dig into its recommendations. Whether this year or next year, a tax-focused special session would be an incredible chance to make Louisiana’s tax code simpler and more competitive. In the same step, Louisiana could and should resolve the fiscal cliff responsibly without doing lasting damage to higher education and health care.
They said it: “I can’t get into that.” –Michael Bienvenu, attorney for a plaintiff challenging the eligibility of two candidates for the state Supreme Court, when asked who was paying for his client’s legal representation, in The Illuminator
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
