It's a lot of dollars!
April 10, 2025 at 7:08 PM
It's a lot of dollars!
The reason people don't trust these efforts, btw, is the only thing the Governor has been transparent about is his belief that he and his donors should have full run of this state, however they see fit. This election really should make legislators reconsider their role in that.
April 2, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The reason people don't trust these efforts, btw, is the only thing the Governor has been transparent about is his belief that he and his donors should have full run of this state, however they see fit. This election really should make legislators reconsider their role in that.
As I said before - people of all political stripes voted down the amendments put on the March ballot. The idea that this was some sort of ideological battle is not right; this was fundamentally an election about trust, which brought people together across ideological lines
April 2, 2025 at 2:01 PM
As I said before - people of all political stripes voted down the amendments put on the March ballot. The idea that this was some sort of ideological battle is not right; this was fundamentally an election about trust, which brought people together across ideological lines
Somehow not an April Fool’s joke. But you know what they say, when nearly 2/3rds of all the people who showed up to vote in record turnout for a March election just to overwhelmingly reject your constitutional amendments, try try again
April 1, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Somehow not an April Fool’s joke. But you know what they say, when nearly 2/3rds of all the people who showed up to vote in record turnout for a March election just to overwhelmingly reject your constitutional amendments, try try again
Not the first to point this out, but remarkable that Landry is so instinctually a "you're either with me or you're against me" kind of guy that even in prepared press statements, he can't help but blame everyone but himself, even his constituents, whenever things don't go his way
March 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Not the first to point this out, but remarkable that Landry is so instinctually a "you're either with me or you're against me" kind of guy that even in prepared press statements, he can't help but blame everyone but himself, even his constituents, whenever things don't go his way
The amendments did get a majority of voters’ support in some parishes - but it is undeniable that these amendments were rejected by all sorts of people, of all races, colors, and creeds, and despite what the Governor and other supporters say, it’s not because we were duped
March 30, 2025 at 1:04 PM
The amendments did get a majority of voters’ support in some parishes - but it is undeniable that these amendments were rejected by all sorts of people, of all races, colors, and creeds, and despite what the Governor and other supporters say, it’s not because we were duped
Despite the spin that the Governor and his allies are trying to make stick, the fact is that voters all across the political spectrum in Louisiana soundly rejected his continued efforts to manipulate the state constitution to serve the interests of corporations at our expense
March 30, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Despite the spin that the Governor and his allies are trying to make stick, the fact is that voters all across the political spectrum in Louisiana soundly rejected his continued efforts to manipulate the state constitution to serve the interests of corporations at our expense
There is something a little funny about Landry (frequent user of his donors’ private jets), AFP + Pelican (arms of the Koch network) bellyaching about the influence of money to explain why voters rejected their clear-as-mud case for these amendments
March 30, 2025 at 12:41 PM
There is something a little funny about Landry (frequent user of his donors’ private jets), AFP + Pelican (arms of the Koch network) bellyaching about the influence of money to explain why voters rejected their clear-as-mud case for these amendments
“We realize how hard positive change can be to implement in a State that is conditioned for failure,” is a hell of a thing to say about the people of the state you’re supposed to serve as Governor, but I can understand why these kinds of numbers might make anyone nervous
March 30, 2025 at 3:50 AM
“We realize how hard positive change can be to implement in a State that is conditioned for failure,” is a hell of a thing to say about the people of the state you’re supposed to serve as Governor, but I can understand why these kinds of numbers might make anyone nervous
Amendment 2 never really guaranteed a “pay raise” for teachers. We cannot allow the Governor or the legislature to hide behind the people of Louisiana resoundingly rejecting their scheme to avoid fixing this.
It’s time that Louisiana actually gave teachers a permanent pay raise
It’s time that Louisiana actually gave teachers a permanent pay raise
March 30, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Amendment 2 never really guaranteed a “pay raise” for teachers. We cannot allow the Governor or the legislature to hide behind the people of Louisiana resoundingly rejecting their scheme to avoid fixing this.
It’s time that Louisiana actually gave teachers a permanent pay raise
It’s time that Louisiana actually gave teachers a permanent pay raise
Imagine being a South Louisiana politician who looks at the utility services provided by Entergy and saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and also let's raise everyone's electric bills to give them even more money"
March 24, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Imagine being a South Louisiana politician who looks at the utility services provided by Entergy and saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and also let's raise everyone's electric bills to give them even more money"
Get in, loser, we’re voting no to the mall
March 15, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Get in, loser, we’re voting no to the mall
I don't know about y'all, but the way my mama raised me, if someone went around saying "this is a permanent pay raise for teachers, promise," despite all that, we'd call that person a fibbing jackass (picture unrelated)
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
I don't know about y'all, but the way my mama raised me, if someone went around saying "this is a permanent pay raise for teachers, promise," despite all that, we'd call that person a fibbing jackass (picture unrelated)
But here's the problem - the whole reason that the legislature has had to pass these one-year stipends for the last two years is because THEY HAVE REFUSED TO UPDATE THE MINIMUM FOUNDATION PROGRAM (MFP) FORMULA TO GIVE A PERMANENT PAY RAISE lailluminator.com/2024/02/20/s...
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
But here's the problem - the whole reason that the legislature has had to pass these one-year stipends for the last two years is because THEY HAVE REFUSED TO UPDATE THE MINIMUM FOUNDATION PROGRAM (MFP) FORMULA TO GIVE A PERMANENT PAY RAISE lailluminator.com/2024/02/20/s...
That means the savings realized by each school district could be quite different - its possible small school districts see almost no savings at all.
To be fair (and I mean that in the most generous sense possible) the legislature tried to account for that, with this language here
To be fair (and I mean that in the most generous sense possible) the legislature tried to account for that, with this language here
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
That means the savings realized by each school district could be quite different - its possible small school districts see almost no savings at all.
To be fair (and I mean that in the most generous sense possible) the legislature tried to account for that, with this language here
To be fair (and I mean that in the most generous sense possible) the legislature tried to account for that, with this language here
Okay, so, here are the other catches - Amendment 2 won't work as promised, for a few reasons. First, not all public school teachers and staff actually pay into the pension fund that would provide the debt "savings" - including those at nearly every charter school in the state.
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Okay, so, here are the other catches - Amendment 2 won't work as promised, for a few reasons. First, not all public school teachers and staff actually pay into the pension fund that would provide the debt "savings" - including those at nearly every charter school in the state.
I really can't reiterate this enough: it's NOT A FUCKING PAY RAISE, no matter how you cut it. Unless you consider your boss not cutting your salary for no reason, two-years into a job, after not getting a raise, to be a raise (please call for help if this is you)
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
I really can't reiterate this enough: it's NOT A FUCKING PAY RAISE, no matter how you cut it. Unless you consider your boss not cutting your salary for no reason, two-years into a job, after not getting a raise, to be a raise (please call for help if this is you)
"How do you figure?" Well, here's what I mean, using the pay bands set by the LADOE - new teachers in Louisiana should make $46,100. With the stipend, that's $48,100 the past two years. If Amendment 2 works as intended, that wouldn't get cut. But if not, pay cut.
doe.louisiana.gov/docs/default...
doe.louisiana.gov/docs/default...
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
"How do you figure?" Well, here's what I mean, using the pay bands set by the LADOE - new teachers in Louisiana should make $46,100. With the stipend, that's $48,100 the past two years. If Amendment 2 works as intended, that wouldn't get cut. But if not, pay cut.
doe.louisiana.gov/docs/default...
doe.louisiana.gov/docs/default...
The idea is that by paying that pension debt down in a larger amount now, the state will realize "savings" that school districts are being statutorily required (by HB 5 / Act 8 passed in the special session) to use to increase pay for teachers by $2000 a year, and staff by $1000
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
The idea is that by paying that pension debt down in a larger amount now, the state will realize "savings" that school districts are being statutorily required (by HB 5 / Act 8 passed in the special session) to use to increase pay for teachers by $2000 a year, and staff by $1000
The latter move specifically includes dissolving three major education trust funds that voters established through previous constitutional amendments to ensure consistent funding for Pre-K through higher education funding, and putting those funds towards pension debt
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
The latter move specifically includes dissolving three major education trust funds that voters established through previous constitutional amendments to ensure consistent funding for Pre-K through higher education funding, and putting those funds towards pension debt
But I'd like to focus on one thing in particular - the promise of a "permanent pay raise" for teachers and school staff if Amendment 2 is passed.
This claim has been made, and repeated uncritically, often, and is in the ballot language. It is important for voters to know it is untrue.
This claim has been made, and repeated uncritically, often, and is in the ballot language. It is important for voters to know it is untrue.
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
But I'd like to focus on one thing in particular - the promise of a "permanent pay raise" for teachers and school staff if Amendment 2 is passed.
This claim has been made, and repeated uncritically, often, and is in the ballot language. It is important for voters to know it is untrue.
This claim has been made, and repeated uncritically, often, and is in the ballot language. It is important for voters to know it is untrue.
The most recent champion of this strain of Louisiana conservatism being represented, in an admittedly more charming form than usual, by Richard Nelson, former state house member and candidate for governor, current Sec. of Revenue, and architect of Landry's variation on Jindalnomic-tax-policy
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
The most recent champion of this strain of Louisiana conservatism being represented, in an admittedly more charming form than usual, by Richard Nelson, former state house member and candidate for governor, current Sec. of Revenue, and architect of Landry's variation on Jindalnomic-tax-policy
Two main reasons. (1) Because it's 115 pages long and has a ton of stuff in it, because it's a huge rewrite of Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution (the article governing taxes and dedicated funds, among other things)
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Two main reasons. (1) Because it's 115 pages long and has a ton of stuff in it, because it's a huge rewrite of Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution (the article governing taxes and dedicated funds, among other things)
Alright, circling back around to focus on Amendment 2, on the statewide ballot for this March 29th election down here in Louisiana. Early voting begins tomorrow, this thread is to explain you should vote "no" on 2
March 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Alright, circling back around to focus on Amendment 2, on the statewide ballot for this March 29th election down here in Louisiana. Early voting begins tomorrow, this thread is to explain you should vote "no" on 2