For the first time in the history of Louisiana's Industrial Tax Exemption Program, a school board rejected an application in order to preserve public funding for its schools. Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith (NCLI) leaders and Caddo Parish teachers spoke passionately at a Caddo Parish School Board meeting, asking board members to "put the students first." As a result, the Board voted to deny exemptions from school board taxes for Inferno Manufacturing, Inc.

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Thanks to consistent pressure from Together Louisiana and allies, industrial tax exemption reforms were codified into state rules.

Says Together Baton Rouge (part of the Together Louisiana network): "These reforms haven't gone far enough yet, but what has changed already on Louisiana's biggest corporate subsidy program is historic.

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Just days before Congress adjourns for October recess, the word among lobbyists was that a proposal for flood recovery funding for Louisiana would not even get a vote for inclusion in the continuing resolution (short term budget). It was the last opportunity to secure funding for flood recovery before the lame duck session.

Then, according to Together Baton Rouge (TBR), sister IAF organizations across the country began contacting their congressional representatives and senators urging them to support the funding package — across partisan lines. Together Baton Rouge posted a video that, in less than one day, was viewed 55,000 times as leaders quickly spread its message urging people to contact their congressional representatives.

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When the Mayor of St. Joseph held up at least $250,000 in state funds available for local water system repairs, Together Louisiana leaders took their fight to the state Capitol, bottles of brown water in hand. In testimony to the House Natural Resources and Environmental Quality Committee, Pastor Samuel Johnson of Guilefield Baptist told legislators that parishioners are losing their hair and suffering from skin irritation. Others detailed that the mayor countered calls for water system repairs with the assertion that residents "can drink bottled water."

Though the state has allocated $7 Million for clean water, local mayors have the power to block such initiatives. The committee chair, impacted by Together Louisiana testimony, talked of issuing a subpoena if the Mayor does not respond to calls to appear before the committee. Governor Bel Edwards has committed to work with Together Louisiana leaders to resolve this issue. Leaders are calling for the appointment of an administrator that would use the $250,000 emergency fund to replace the most egregious pipe, passage of HB83 to recognize secondary water quality standards of the EPA, and increased prioritization of the $7 Million state fund appropriation so that the town's pipes and filtration system can be replaced, and release of those funds once an administrator has been appointed.

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Northern and Central Louisiana Interfaith leaders hosted a summit in which university presidents responded to questions about the impact of state budget cuts to economic growth in Louisiana and about investments universities need to provide quality affordable education. Leaders highlighted the importance of affordable high education as a gateway to the middle-class for lower income residents. They additionally drew attention to studies documenting that for every $1 invested in higher ed, the state enjoys $8 in additional economic activity.

The summit was held in collaboration with the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Grambling State University, Louisiana Delta Community College and Louisiana Tech University. In photo, Grambling President Frank Pogue and ULM President Nick Bruno lead a discussion.

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