Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards pushes anti-poverty agenda
John Bel Edwards
The Times-Picayune By Kevin Litten
December 03, 2015
Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards has said he will work to boost the minimum wage in Louisiana if Congress does not act on a federal increase, but that’s not the only policy Edwards plans to put in place to help get more money to the working poor.
Edwards has also promised to double the state’s earned income tax credit, an effort supported by other Democrats such as New Orleans Rep. Walt Leger, who tried unsuccessfully to double the tax credit in the last legislative session.
The credit comes in the form of a tax refund for parents who are working but are classified as low- or moderate-income earners. It’s part of Edwards’ anti-poverty agenda, which includes Medicaid expansion that would provide health insurance to more than 250,000 people who are working but can’t afford to purchase coverage.
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The first thing a Democrat can think of when unemployment is out of control is to implement something that will drive it even higher.