The special legislative session is done and starting January 1st, most Louisiana residents will pay lower income taxes as the new 3 percent flat tax and $12,500 standard deduction becomes effective. In exchange, the state sales tax rate will increase to five percent. But Governor Landry says in the end, Louisiana residents will pay less taxes…

Cut 10 (15) “…against you.”

Will Green, the president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, says Louisiana’s lower income tax rate will make it a more attractive state for people to move.

Cut 5 (08) “…jobs and talent.”

Legislation to make temporary pay raises for K-12 teachers and support staff permanent passed, pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment. The legislation allocates funds from protected education trusts to reduce nearly $2 billion in teacher retirement system debt. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala (back-a-la) says this free up around $287 million annually for local school districts, enabling a $2,000 raise for teachers and $1,000 for support staff.

Cut 6 (12) “…give pay raises.”

Head coach Gary Goff didn’t win enough football games at McNeese and after three seasons he was fired today. The Cowboys went six and six this season after failing to win a game on the field last year. Jim Gazzolo covers McNeese for the American Press and says there were many who thought Goff won enough games this season to keep his job…

Cut 12 (06) “…little surprised.”

Business groups are hailing the tax reform package passed last week. Will Green, the president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, says thanks to the reform, Louisiana’s corporate income tax rate is lower than those in neighboring states.

Cut 4 (11) “…and for talent.”

Governor Landry says Louisiana is made more competitive and can attract more jobs and higher wages because of the reforms including the elimination of the corporate franchise tax on businesses. He believes this special session fulfills a campaign promise of growing Louisiana’s economy…

Cut 11 (14) “…Louisiana home.”

Two bills have been approved by the Louisiana Legislature to make temporary pay raises for public K-12 teachers and support staff permanent, pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment in March.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Louisianans are spending less than other state residents for their Thanksgiving dinner this year. A classic turkey dinner with vegetables, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie costs just under 46 dollars compared to the cost for the rest of the country at just over 58 dollars. The American Farm Bureau reports Grocery prices have dropped for the second year in a row, but they are still historically high.

Business groups are hailing the tax reform package passed by the legislature in the just-concluded special session. Will Green, the president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, says the new tax structure will entice more companies into doing business here in Louisiana.

Cut 3 (13) “…income tax rate.”

Starting January 1^st, Louisiana residents will pay lower income taxes. It’s the result of the legislation approved by lawmakers in the tax reform special session. Governor Jeff Landry says the state’s three-tiered income tax system will be replaced by a flat three-percent tax and the standard deduction will be increased to $12.500 in 2026

Cut 9 (11)  “…working poor.”

Head coach Gary Goff didn’t win enough football games at McNeese and after three seasons he was fired today. The Cowboys went six and six this season after failing to win a game on the field last year. Jim Gazzolo covers McNeese for the American Press and says two former McNeese players, Slade Nagle, who is an assistant coach at LSU and Kerry Josephy, who is the quarterbacks coach for the Chicago Bears are two possible replacements…

Cut 13 (08)  “…rally around.”

Two bills have been approved by the Louisiana Legislature to make temporary pay raises for public K-12 teachers and support staff permanent, pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment in March. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala’s bill, which unanimously passed the House and the Senate requires school districts to use the savings created by the retirement debt payment in Emerson’s Bill to fund the permanent raise.

Cut 8 (12) “…on the local side.”

The Louisiana Legislature approved two bills to make temporary pay raises for K-12 teachers and support staff permanent, pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment in March. The legislation allocates funds from protected education trusts to reduce nearly $2 billion in teacher retirement system debt. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala (back-a-la) says both amendments allow surplus savings to fund early childhood education and address staff shortages.

Cut 7 (09) “…bigger raise.”

Head coach Gary Goff didn’t win enough football games at McNeese and after three seasons he was fired today. The Cowboys went six and six this season after failing to win a game on the field last year. Jim Gazzolo covers McNeese for the American Press and says there were many who thought Goff won enough games this season to keep his job…

Cut 12 (11) “…little surprised.”

Business groups are applauding the tax reform package approved by the legislature in the just-ended special session. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Starting January 1st, Louisiana residents will pay lower income taxes. In exchange, the state sales tax rate will increase to five-percent on that date. But Governor Landry says in the end, Louisiana residents will pay less taxes…

Cut 10 (15) “…against you.”

Business groups are hailing the tax reform package. Will Green, the president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, says the new tax structure will entice more companies into doing business here in Louisiana.

Cut 3 (13) “…income tax rate.” 

And now, that corporate income tax rate is lower than those in many neighboring states.

Pending voter approval, teachers will see their temporary pay raises become permanent. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala (BACK-ah-la) says shifting money from protected education trusts would free up approximately 287-million dollars annually for local school districts, enabling a two-thousand-dollar raise for teachers and a one-thousand dollar raise for support staff.

Cut 6 (12) “…give pay raises.”

LSU snaps its three-game losing streak by beating Vanderbilt Saturday night, 24-17. In the week leading up to the game, Josh Williams, Greg Penn, Will Campbell and Garrett Nussmeier called a players-only meeting. Williams discussed the nature of the meeting after the game. 

Cut 16 (10) “…out for us.”

Starting on January 1^st, Louisiana residents will pay lower income taxes. It’s the result of the legislation approved by lawmakers in the tax reform special session that concluded last Friday. Governor Jeff Landry says the state’s graduated individual income tax system will be replaced by a three-percent flat tax and the standard deduction will be increased to $12.500 in 2026

Cut 9 (11) “…working poor”

To pay for the lower income taxes, legislators raised the state sales tax rate to five-percent, beginning on January 1^st.

The LSU football team ended a three-game losing streak on Saturday with a 24-17 win over Vanderbilt. Defensive end Bradyn Swinson says the defense used a simple game plan and it paid off…

Cut 15 (10) “…probably ran today”

Families are preparing for the big Thanksgiving feast. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, a classic dinner that includes eleven main items will not break the bank…

Cut 4 (11) “….was last year”

Louisiana Farm Bureau spokesperson Avery Davidson says the low cost is spurred in large part by a drop in the price of turkeys. Davidson says a frozen 16 pound turkey should cost you around 15-dollars.

After a 20-year hiatus, Northwestern State University is resuming its rodeo program. N-S-U had a rode program from the early 1960s through to mid-90s but cuts to academic programs made it difficult recruit students. Currently the team has two members, including McKenzie Davis, an accounting major from Pollock…

Cut 8 (09) “….back to Northwestern”

Is the tax reform package passed by the legislature good or bad for Louisianians? It depends on who you ask. Starting on January 1st, Louisiana’s graduated individual income tax system, which has a tax rate of 4.25 percent, will go to a single three-percent rate.

To pay for the tax cut, the state’s sales tax will go from 4.45 percent to five percent.

Cut 10 (11) :”…up even higher”

That’s Jan Moeller of Invest Louisiana. On the other hand, Daniel Erspamer, the CEO of the Pelican Institute, calls the tax plan a big victory for taxpayers…

Cut 12 (14) “….here in Louisiana”

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says the Bayou State is now a more attractive state to do business.

LSU football won its first game in five weeks on Saturday. Andrew Greenstein has this report from Tiger Stadium.

Cut 3 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

According to the Louisiana Farm Bureau, a Thanksgiving dinner prepared inside your home with all the fixings will cost 45-dollars. Farm bureau spokesperson Avery Davidson says that’s 13 dollars cheaper than the national average….

Cut 6 (12) “…all come through”