For the past five years, the Power Coalition has been touring the state, listening to people like you, learning about the problems facing our communities, and trying to identify the root causes of those problems. That process informed the development of our People’s Agenda--a set of four issues that we think are key to empowering you and your community and turning the tide of Louisiana politics.

They are:

1. Expand economic opportunity
When new jobs actually come to your community, do those jobs pay living wages and offer the benefits you need to provide security for you and your family? Do they pay everyone the same, regardless of gender or race? Do you, your family, and your community have equal access to quality healthcare and education? Sadly, in Louisiana, the answer to those questions is usually ‘No’. When we talk about economic opportunity, we have to make sure that opportunity is real and that it includes every person and every community.

2. Continued and sustained criminal justice reform
Despite many recent successes in reforming the criminal justice system, Louisiana still has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Is that truly “just”? We need to build on those successes so we can make sure that the word “Justice” truly is at the heart of our criminal justice system.

3. Prioritize fiscal fairness
Did you know that in Louisiana wealthy people actually pay a much smaller tax burden than low- and moderate-income earners? Did you know that we give away 10 times more in corporate welfare per person than the national average, with much of that money going to major polluters? If we want to create an economy that works for all of us, then we need to turn that inequitable tax system on its head.

4. Ensure fair, equitable electoral districts
Do you think the political process in Louisiana is functioning properly? Most people don’t, and redistricting is at the core of that dysfunction. To fix this broken system, we’re going to need to work toward a full and proper count during the 2020 Census, which will inform (and hopefully help ensure) a fair, equitable, and transparent redistricting process in 2021.