News

Remember in high school when math teachers wouldn’t give full credit for answers that weren’t supported with all the work that showed how a student arrived to that answer?

On Friday, a group of 250 clergymen and women challenged the work behind the math used by the Jindal administration to calculate the tax burden on individuals under the governor’s new tax swap plan.

The governor wants to eliminate the personal income tax, the corporate income tax and the corporate franchise tax. He’d replace that lost revenue by raising the sales tax to 5.88 percent, applying the sales tax to more services and tinkering with a few other taxes and exemptions. Jindal says the plan will not amount to a tax hike for citizens or a loss in revenue for the state, but that it will be revenue neutral.

After hearing from department heads and state higher-ups, State Rep. John Schroder wants to hear from state employees on how to get Louisiana’s fiscal house in order.

The House Appropriations Committee has been methodically sifting through Gov. Jindal’s 2013-2014 budget since March 12th and will continue doing so in the weeks to come. As the committee continues going down the department checklist, Schroder now wants the involvement and input from actual state employees.

Jim talks with Doug Baker, of the state Department of Revenue on the show, who explains more about Governor Jindal's proposed tax reforms plan.

Government watchdog and blogger C.B. Forgotston (cbforgotston.com) talks about the tax swap plan and the coming Legislative session, which starts in two weeks.

Joni Leggio, with the LA Education Loan Authority, discusses how students can access federal student loan aid...and a new scholarship competition.

Dr. April Erwin, with the Neuromedical Center, explains the latest drug therapies and clinical trials that may give Multiple Sclerosis patients hope for a more normal lifestyle.

Spring has sprung, and with it comes pollen and allergies.  But what is pollen?

Dr. Steven Heymsfield, Executive Director the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, discusses the health of Baton Rouge and Louisiana in general.

Political blogger Stephen Sabludowsky talks about the health of Governor Jindal's tax reforms proposal.

Award winning author Amy Stewart on her new book, "The Drunken Botanist"

In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for universal pre-K.

The President singled out Georgia and Oklahoma as states that have already made pre-K a priority.

Louisiana should also be ahead of the curve.

The state enacted a universal pre-K promise in 2008. Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, LA-4 classes are supposed to be provided at no cost to every eligible child.

Plans to privatize most of LSU’s public hospitals are making repairs and construction to the facilities more expensive.

Representatives from the state-established Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation told the State Bond Commission on Thursday that if they operated like a regular insurance company and another storm hit, they’ll be insolvent.

Jim talks with LSU Latin American Studies professor Stephen Andes, about Pope Francis I, the first South American pontiff, and the first from the western hemisphere.

Jan Moller, director of the Louisiana Budget Project, talks about the 62nd annual Gridiron show this weekend, which skewers local politics and events. Jan is joined by Sophia Kunen and Michael Stagg, with Forward Louisiana, to talk about Governor Jindal's tax reform proposal and why Louisiana should accept the Medicaid expansion that's part of the federal health care reforms.

Buddhist monk Anam Thubten discusses the recent rash of self-immolations among monks and holy men in his home country. He''ll speak locally this weekend at the Agame Meditation Center on Acadian.