Obamacare individual health insurance market signups are down 10 percent in Louisiana, and 20 percent nationally. Matt Doyle has more.
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A Houston-based natural gas company moved a step closer to receiving a one-billion dollar plus property tax break as a result of a vote by the Louisiana board of Commerce and Industry. Kevin Barnhart has the story…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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Despite lower premiums, Obamacare individual market signups are down 10 percent in Louisiana on the eve of the December 15th deadline for enrollment. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says proponents of Obamacare are pointing towards a lower investment in advertising for the service, but he thinks locally there’s a more obvious answer.
Advocates are concerned the market will de-stabilize if the pool of enrollees shrinks.
Donelon says it’s likely not just one cause either. The unemployment rate is down several percent in the past few years thanks to an improving economy, and the Commissioner says as more people find work, there’s less of a need for them to buy personal insurance plans.
Previously there was a tax penalty for not having health insurance, but the Trump Administration has suspended that rule and is fighting it in court. With no requirement to keep insurance, fewer people are signing up, and Donelon says that’s likely to remain the case.
20 percent fewer people nationally have signed up for the program.
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The state Board of Commerce and Industry agrees to give a developer planning to build a massive liquefied natural gas export facility in Calcasieu Parish a tax break that could eventually reach two-billion dollars. The advocacy group, Together Louisiana, objected. Broderick Bagert says local government taxing bodies did not give residents enough information about the project
Houma Senator Norby Chabert, sits on the Board, and calls the project a heck of a deal and Calcasieu Parish taxpayers are aware of its impact…
Natural gas company Tellurian is the developer of the L-N-G export facility, which is expected to create 300 permanent jobs and 64-hundred construction jobs. A final investment decision is expected . Tellurian’s Jason French told the board it would not be a good idea to postpone a vote on the tax break …
Cut 8 (10) “…in parish prison.”
The board agreed and voted 17-2 in favor of the tax break. Governor John Bel Edwards must give final approval.
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Tax season is right around the corner and that means tax refunds. According to research by financial technology company SmartAsset, just over 1.5 million taxpayers in the state will be owed a refund, with the average being right around $3,300. VP of Financial Education at SmartAsset AJ Smith says refunds are based on allowances and how much someone is claiming throughout the year.
Smith says the research results presents taxpayers with a better idea on how their tax money is to be handled.
Cut 10 (12) “…make some changes.”
Smith says you may be losing out on opportunities to make money on the money that is being withheld. If you want to make adjustments to your withholdings, you should speak with someone in HR at your job.
Cut 11 (07) “…throughout the year.”
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Governor John Bel Edwards gave the commencement address at the UL Lafayette graduation ceremony earlier today, celebrating the hard work of the Ragin Cajun class of 2019 that featured students from 29 different states and 26 different countries. Edwards celebrated the storied institution.
Edwards highlighted the career training and critical thinking skills imparted on the class, and says the students are equipped with the diverse set of skills that will be necessary to navigate the five or more different jobs many of the students will work throughout their life.
The Governor, who is up for re-election in 2019, highlighted higher education funding as the primary reason he ran for office in 2015, and says the success of this class of students is a reminder of why the state needs to maintain appropriate funding levels.