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"Gov. John Bel Edwards sided with New Orleans officials Monday by denying tax breaks sought by Folgers Coffee Co. that would have cost the city millions of dollars in property tax revenue....

ITEP has become a hot-button political issue in recent years. Business groups argue that allowing companies to avoid taxes they would owe on new equipment and machinery encourages those types of investments. Critics, led by Together Louisiana, argue that companies have been allowed to skip out on taxes from investments that they would have made anyway and that schools and sheriffs need the taxes to improve the quality of life in their communities.

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Over 200 leaders from Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith assembled with their local elected officials to develop ground level support for their reforms of the state Industrial Tax Exemption Program. Said assembly co-chairs and pastors, Revs. Theron Jackson and John Henson (in photo at right), "The tax exemption was created to encourage manufacturers to expand their facilities or re-locate to the state, creating new permanent jobs. Interfaith is not opposed to the exemption. However, it has been abused over the years and millions of dollars in local taxes have been lost." They succeeded in persuading the Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator and Caddo Commission President Steven Jackson to work with the organization to reform the tax exemption program and place a cap on requests.

Leaders are additionally working to build support for local workforce development program ACTS (Another Chance to Succeed) as a key element in reducing poverty-driven crime.

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