Louisiana
Guest column: Louisiana’s voting maps are an important piece of our democracy
Louisianans are living in a time of profound consequence where political ideology and political identity are at the center of fundamental questions impacting the state’s constitution, congressional maps and Supreme Court districts. If that weren’t enough, our Legislature’s ability, or lack thereof, to pass into law maps that comply with the Voting Rights Act and the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in Milligan vs. Alabama place Louisiana in the national spotlight.
Voting rights advocates from around the country are paying close attention to whether our Legislature preemptively redraws our congressional maps to include two majority-Black congressional districts or continues its ill-advised legal pursuit to validate our state’s current congressional map. If our elected officials are able to do the former, Louisiana will have seized a crucial opportunity to lead both Southern states and conservative-led state governments towards realizing, as the founders penned, “a more perfect union” for our democracy.
Failure to construct fair and equitable maps leaves Louisiana vulnerable to judicial intervention, wastes taxpayer dollars and places our state once again on the wrong side of voting rights history.
Creating a more perfect union requires leaders with the courage to take incremental steps toward realizing the promises of our representative democracy. It is through these consequential steps that a more perfect union is realized. The inclusion of two majority-Black districts is one of these important steps. As such, political leaders in the Deep South can no longer afford to perpetuate the status quo of voter suppression and disenfranchisement.
Louisiana politicians who fail to ensure that all Louisianans — irrespective of their race, religion, education or geography — have the right to elect officials representing their values contradict what it means to be American. This special legislative session has provided Louisiana with the rare opportunity to distinguish its current trajectory from our complex past. This is an opportunity for our state to embrace what we as a country are supposed to be about — one person, one vote, one country.
The benefits Louisiana stands to gain by embracing its diversity are substantial. We live in a world where echo chambers of political affiliation continue to erode our institutions and harm our neighbors rather than promoting an environment of collective growth and prosperity. To that end, it is disappointing, yet unsurprising, that there is opposition to ensuring that all Louisiana residents are meaningfully able to participate in our political process. However, because those with power and influence continue to use political ideology and to a lesser extent one’s political identity to invoke fear in residents — fear of the unknown and fear of loss, particularly loss of power, prestige and prosperity — our democracy falls short of safeguarding that Black and other marginalized communities are able to enjoy the freedoms and protections our constitution and laws provide.
Consequently, it is important to highlight these factors when contemplating any decision of importance by the Legislature, as fear usually takes center stage in debates such as these where White residents look to mitigate the feelings associated with “losing” their voting power. That is why advocates in favor of implementing congressional maps to include two majority-Black districts must do all that we can to highlight that this legislative session isn’t about taking anything away, but instead ensuring everyone gets what they deserve under the law based on the growth and diversity of our population.
Finally, as the state’s conservative supermajority is poised to make its first major impression on our residents, it’s the hope of the Urban League of Louisiana that the Legislature wields its sacred authority to enact laws and our congressional Supreme Court maps justly. This is the occasion to do what is morally and legally correct without judicial intervention. Whether or not the Legislature is successful in enacting compliant maps, the Urban League of Louisiana will continue to ensure that Black Louisianans and other marginalized communities have the parity, power and civil rights they deserve and that our democracy demands.
Charles E.J. Phipps is the Urban League of Louisiana’s senior director for policy, advocacy and legal affairs.
Louisiana ranks among the top 10 most affordable states to retire, according to a new study from Retirement Living, a national journal of retirement research.
Researchers analyzed each state’s housing costs, living expenses and tax friendliness to compile the ranking. Louisiana, they say, is the eighth most affordable state for retirees.
In Louisiana, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $932, the median home sale price is $255,000, monthly grocery spend per capita is $272, the average price per gallon of regular gas is $4, the average Medicare Advantage monthly premium is $13.35 and the average effective property tax rate is 0.55%.
West Virginia is the most affordable state to retire, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, Indiana and Kansas. Researchers describe the South as “the sweet spot for an affordable retirement.”
The most expensive state to retire, meanwhile, is California, followed by Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Utah, New York and Minnesota.
Read Retirement Living’s full report here.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – With hurricane season approaching, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is bringing the community together to prepare before a storm forms.
“We can’t stop disasters from happening. We can’t stop hurricanes from happening. But what we can do is equip our communities with the resources that they need to prepare for these storms ahead of time,” said Jayda Morris, CPRA outreach manager.
The agency hosted an event featuring interactive storm simulations and a full model of the Mississippi River.
“If you do it now, like on a sunny day like today, you’re ready to go for the rest of the season,” Jay Grymes said.
El Niño may reduce storms, but Louisiana still at risk
State Climatologist Jay Grymes said an El Niño pattern may reduce the number of storms in the Atlantic but warned against a false sense of security.
“In those 25 years, Louisiana, some part of the state has been impacted by 29 storms. That’s one a year, regardless of El Niño. So that should tell you something,” Grymes said.
He said the bigger concern is storms that can form in the Gulf with little warning.
“If we’re going to get a storm, it very possibly could be one that bubbles up in the Gulf and doesn’t give us five or seven days to track it coming our way. It gives us 40 hours to get ready for a landfall. So it’s imperative that you go ahead and do it now,” Grymes said.
Preparation goes beyond stocking water
Preparing now includes walking through yards, checking trees, and knowing whether everyone in the family can survive two weeks without power.
PhD students with the LSU College of the Coast and Environment gave the community a virtual reality experience that puts users inside a storm.
“If they wear the goggles or play with the Apple Vision Pro, they can understand how high will the flood be, and they can know how dangerous is the hurricane scenario,” said Yixuan Wang.
The VR simulation uses real historical data to show users what compound flooding looks like in New Orleans and surrounding areas. The goal is to make the science real for people who can’t picture what a flood map means.
“It’s just to let you understand the environment. We will add the audios, the different sound of the wind and the storm. And you can see how tense of the rainfall around you,” Wang said.
Organizers said the event is about making sure that when a storm threatens the area, families already know their plan.
Information from the event is available on CPRA’s website. Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana homeowners can get financial help to upgrade their roofs and ensure they can better stand up to strong storms.
According to the Louisiana Department of Insurance, registration for next Louisiana Fortify Homes Program lottery opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 1. The registration period will stay open through 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.
Under the latest round of the program, 3,000 grants of up to $10,000 will go out. After applying, homeowners will get placed into a lottery and will be randomly selected.
There are many specific benefits of having a roof upgraded through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program. Officials said the roofs have stronger shingles that can protect against hail up to two inches wide, sealed roof decks to help prevent water damage, and stronger edges to keep wind from getting underneath.
Homeowners with a fortified roof can also get a certificate to receive a discount on insurance premiums.
“At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs,” said Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. “It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead.”
Only people living in Ascension Parish, Livingston Parish, Assumption Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Acadia Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Cameron Parish, Iberia Parish, Jefferson Parish, Jefferson Davis Parish, Lafayette Parish, Lafourche Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. James Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Martin Parish, St. Mary Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Terrebonne Parish, and Vermilion Parish are eligible to apply for the latest round of the program.
People living in a newly built home, mobile home, or condominium are not qualified.
For a detailed list of eligibility requirements, click here.
If a person registered for the program previously, he or she must do so again. The person will also need to provide the following information:
- A homestead exemption on the primary residence.
- A policy of insurance that provides wind coverage for the primary residence.
- A flood insurance policy on the primary residence if it is in a special flood hazard area.
For more information about applying, click here.
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