Louisiana
Landry’s plan could overhaul Louisiana’s overly-complex tax system – Washington Examiner
(The Center Square) — The Louisiana Legislature could soon contemplate the state’s most comprehensive tax overhaul in decades.
The package from Gov. Jeff Landry — dubbed the “Louisiana Forward” initiative — includes 10 bills intended to simplify and modernize the state’s tax system while spurring economic growth.
“This plan seeks to attract investment, while protecting low income earners, our middle class, and our seniors,” Landry said at a recent news conference. “A plan that will fix Louisiana to compete for new jobs, greater wages and produce a thriving economy in a new Industrial South.”
The proposal seeks to eliminate what Landry calls “uncompetitive taxes,” such as the franchise and inventory taxes. Recent testimony from Richard Nelson, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue, said that the reform intends to broaden the tax base by eliminating various tax preferences and lowering rates, making Louisiana’s tax system more competitive both nationally and regionally.
One of the key elements of the package is a move toward a simpler, flat income tax structure with fewer carveouts, aiming to streamline the state’s complex tax code. By reducing the number of deductions and exemptions, the state hopes to create a more equitable system that promotes fairness and predictability.
The income tax reform proposes a flat 3% individual income tax rate, with standard deductions of $12,500 for single filers and $25,000 for joint filers.
It includes a $12,000 retirement income exemption but repeals the additional $1,000 deduction for seniors, the blind, and dependents, as well as deductions for net capital gains and certain business expenses. Seniors could see an extra 0.2% tax rate reduction and doubled standard deductions if constitutional changes are approved.
“The plan has something for everyone,” Nelson said. “There’s the increase in standard deduction, and the flat rate which makes it better for everyone.”
Landry’s proposal also calls for giving the state legislature greater spending flexibility by removing the restrictions on how specific funds are used, thereby unlocking revenues for broader use. Additionally, the plan accelerates state debt payments, freeing up recurring general fund revenue for other uses.
A significant part of the proposal includes a “sales tax cleanup,” which mandates local tax exemptions for prescription drugs and manufacturing machinery, aligning them with state policies. Additionally, the package would move exemptions out of the complex definitions section of Louisiana’s tax code into more transparent exemption provisions.
Among the notable changes is the redirection of 0.03% of sales tax from the Louisiana Tourism Promotion District to the state’s general fund, providing more flexibility in the state’s budgeting process. Other proposals make permanent a partial sales tax exemption on business utilities, while consolidating related exemptions in areas such as medical, agricultural, and educational materials.
The estimated fiscal impact of these sales tax reforms ranges between $840 million and $860 million, according to the Louisiana Department of Revenue.
One of the most forward-looking components of the package involves modernizing how the state handles the taxation of digital products. With a growing number of transactions moving from physical goods to digital formats,
Louisiana’s current tax law lacks clarity on how to address this shift. The reform package seeks to expand the state and local tax base to include the sale of digital products and services.
This would cover items such as digital books, audiovisual works, computer software access services, and information services, according to the LDOR. Under the proposed rules, the sales tax would apply when taxpayers download, access, or use digital products.
The inclusion of digital products is projected to bring in an additional $90 million to $120 million annually, making it a significant revenue generator in an increasingly digital economy.
Several elements of Landry’s package will require constitutional amendments, meaning they will have to be approved by voters in a statewide referendum. These include eliminating certain taxes and adjusting how state funds can be spent. While the proposed reforms have the potential to unlock significant economic growth, they have not been without scrutiny.
According to Invest in Louisiana, Landry’s tax reform plan could worsen the deficit and threaten essential programs and public services, particularly in education and health care, which he aims to shield from budget cuts.
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The Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy warns that the proposal would shift the tax burden onto the middle class, especially if it doesn’t effectively address the budget shortfall, potentially leading to higher tax rates.
“The income-tax cut would cost the state more than $1.1 billion per year in lost revenue,” Invest in Louisiana stated, using data from the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy. “The largest share of the tax cut would go to the top 1% of Louisiana income earners.”
WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE) – The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council announced the winners of the 40th Annual Northeast Louisiana Arts Awards during a ceremony held Thursday, June 25.
Winners in nine categories were revealed during the program, where top nominees in each category were also recognized. Members of the Arts Council, its board of directors, and invited guests joined friends and family in celebrating the honorees.
2026 Northeast Louisiana Arts Awards winners
- Edmund Williamson Visual Artist of the Year: Stacy Thomas Medaries
- Tommy Usery Performing Artist of the Year: The John L. Brown, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Band
- BART (Business Art) Award: Creative Exchange
- Volunteer of the Year: Jennifer Haynes
- Dorothy Bassett Emerging Artist of the Year: Jari Richardson
- Region 8 Arts Educator of the Year: Joni Dollar
- Region 8 Higher Education Arts Educator of the Year: Emily Ezell
- Literary Artist of the Year: Jamie Mayes
- Community Arts Impact Award: Dr. Alicia Jones
For more information on the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council and its programs, click here.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow and Jamie Davis, a row-crop farmer in Tensas Parish, won their party runoffs Saturday and will now face off for Bill Cassidy’s U.S. Senate seat in November.
Cassidy, one of seven Republican senators who voted to remove President Donald Trump from office after the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in 2021, came in third during the Republican primary in May.
Letlow, who received backing from both Trump and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, nearly won the primary outright with 45% of the vote. While heavily favored, Letlow lost ground in the runoff to Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, but still won with at least 57% of the vote.
The Associated Press called the race for Letlow shortly before 9 p.m.
“President Trump, thank you for encouraging me to get into this race, thank you for your endorsement, Louisiana loves you,” Letlow said in her victory speech. The second person she thanked was Landry. Trump later congratulated Letlow on Truth Social.
Davis captured 80% of the vote in the Democratic runoff over New Orleans businessman Gary Crockett. He led in every parish.
“ I’ve always been raised and trained that if you do the work, you should reap a harvest,” Davis said in his victory speech. “I didn’t know what the harvest was going to be, but I knew that we would reap a harvest, and it just happened to be a win to go to the United States Senate.”
Like Letlow, Davis almost captured enough votes in the May 16th primary to win with 47%. His initial runoff opponent, Nick Albares, ended his campaign in late May.
History will be made regardless of the outcome in November.
Davis’ victory Saturday made him the first Black U.S. Senate finalist in Louisiana since Reconstruction.
Letlow is the first Republican woman to represent Louisiana in the U.S. House. If she wins in November, she would be the second woman elected from Louisiana to the U.S. Senate and the first Republican. Democrat Mary Landrieu served in the Senate from 1997 until 2014.
A hotly contested Republican race
The biggest issue Letlow and Fleming, conservative Republicans, appeared to differ on was carbon sequestration: the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide underground.
Fleming completely opposes projects in the state, while Letlow said she trusts Gov. Jeff Landry to decide what’s best and support his moratorium on new permits.
“If a project is not safe, not transparent, and does not have local buy-in, it should not move forward,” Letlow said.
Fleming, who is MAGA-aligned, said his campaign relied on “grassroots support” and was endorsed by eight parish-level Republican committees and four regional assemblies.
“It’s been a tough year-and-a-half campaigning, but I asked for this,” Fleming said in his concession speech. “I felt that the Lord led me this way. It didn’t turn out as we had hoped, but that’s OK.
“This is a very healthy process, what we have in Democracy, where we battle it out, tough it out and hopefully we get the best.”
Letlow’s platform
Letlow’s political career began in 2020 after her husband, Luke, who had just been elected to the U.S. House, died from complications from COVID-19.
She ran for his seat in a special election, won and later used her platform to encourage people to get vaccinated against the infectious disease.
Letlow, a mother of two who worked in higher education administration before entering politics, has become an increasingly vocal supporter of Trump and of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic.
Her campaign received more than $1 million from the MAHA PAC, a political group affiliated with Kennedy.
Letlow said her proudest legislative accomplishment is a Parents’ Bill of Rights she passed in the House in 2023, which stalled in the Senate.
“The bill gives parents greater transparency into curriculum, school budgets, and what is happening in their children’s classrooms,” Letlow said. “It puts families back in charge and protects children from political agendas that don’t belong in schools.”
She said her top three priorities, if elected to the U.S. Senate, will be border security and public safety, growing Louisiana’s economy and education, including school choice and parents’ rights.
Davis’ platform
Davis, a former Tensas Parish Police Juror, is running on a platform of affordability, healthcare, opportunity and upholding voting rights.
He said he took it personally when Gov. Jeff Landry canceled the congressional race where mail-in ballots had already been cast. The Democratic candidate also attended legislative committee hearings to oppose the 5-1 Republican-favored congressional voting map that the legislature eventually passed and the governor signed into law for use in the November election.
“A national ban on gerrymandering is one of the top things for me, because we need to get past this power grab that’s happening all over the nation. It needs to end so that America can just focus on the issues and not power grabs,” said Davis.
The third-generation farmer said he’ll work toward a new Farm Bill with crop insurance reform.
“So farmers can just have the opportunity to grow a crop, be able to sell it on an open market for a fair price and be able to make an honest living,” said Davis.
The 55-year-old grandfather said he’ll defend Medicaid, strengthen rural hospitals at risk of closing, focus on lowering prescription drug costs and protect Social Security and Medicare and the subsidies that keep premiums affordable.
He also supports a woman’s right to choose when it comes to abortion.
On immigration, Davis said he’s in favor of securing the border but also wants to give immigrants a simple path to citizenship.
Davis has the endorsements of the Louisiana Democratic Party, Congressman Troy Carter, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, former opponent Nick Albares and Indivisible groups across the state.
WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE) – The City of West Monroe announced the 2026 Louisiana State Games are coming to West Monroe this weekend, with athletes from across the state set to compete at The Rec at 7th Square.
According to officials matches begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and continue at 1 p.m. Sunday. Spectators are invited to attend and support the boxers.
- Event location: The Rec at 7th Square on 1802 North 7th Street
- Dates: Saturday–Sunday, June 27–28
Admission details, boxer registration information, and sponsorship opportunities are available in the event graphics, here.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
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