Data Center Dilemma

Amendment 2 on the May 16 statewide ballot would create a new school district in St. George, a city of around 88,000 people that was carved out of unincorporated suburbs of East Baton Rouge Parish. The Didja Know? podcast breaks down the consequences of this harmful amendment in less than 15 minutes.

Louisiana voters will see five proposed changes to the state constitution on the May 16 statewide ballot. The latest episode of the Didja Know? Podcast breaks down the measures.

Recent tax cuts at the federal and state level, heavily tilted to wealthy people and large, profitable corporations, have made it harder to afford the critical investments needed to lift up families and make our economy grow. As Louisianans face the April 15 federal tax filing deadline (the deadline for Louisiana taxes is May 15), the results of these tax-cutting sprees are plain to see.

The AI gold rush is on, and with it a rush of data center construction across the country. These massive centers can deplete local water supplies and increase utility rates for locals ,and come with massive tax breaks from state and local governments. Invest in Louisiana Climate Policy Fellow Ned Randolph joins Didja Know? to discuss the data-center landscape in Louisiana.

Invest in Louisiana’s legislative session podcast is back! In the latest episode, Invest’s Jan Moller and Paul Braun break down Gov. Jeff Landry’s budget proposal, looming state deficits and how state lawmakers will shape the state’s spending plan.

In Louisiana, nearly 1 in 6 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 are not plugged into work or school. We call this population Opportunity Youth. The latest episode of the Didja Know Podcast focuses on how state policies and institutions can support these young people.

Louisiana’s economy works best when all citizens have access to great schools, affordable, high-quality health care, strong infrastructure, and a safety net for when families fall on hard times. A package of bills working its way through the state Legislature would pull Louisiana farther away from these goals, and instead leave the governor and legislators with massive budget gaps to fill in the near future. 

House Bills 133 and 337 would increase Louisiana’s Earned Income Tax Credit and create a state-level Child Tax Credit, respectively. Neva Butkus of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy joins the Didja Know? Podcast to explain the many benefits of working family tax credits.

On the latest episode of Invest in Louisiana’s podcast, executive director Jan Moller and policy analyst Paul Braun preview the 2025 legislative session and the state budget debate.

On Saturday, March 29, Louisianans will weigh in on four harmful amendments to the state constitution. Ashley Shelton, Founder, President, and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and attorney William Most join the podcast to discuss the proposals, including the unusual outcome of a lawsuit challenging a misleading tax amendment (Amendment 2).