Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
The Treasurer’s Office unveils a new transparency tool that lets Louisianans track construction project costs on a parish by parish basis and see just how much debt the state has accrued.
Treasurer John Schroder says the website gives you an opportunity to see just where state government prioritizes construction spending.
“You can see the projects that are being financed, you can see it by parish, and the name of the project. That is the first time that we have ever been able to see something like this.”
The top recipients of the state’s three-billion-dollar transportation budget in 2019 are DOTD at 50 percent, followed by coastal protection at 17 percent, and education at 16 percent.
The tool also provides viewers a chance to measure the state’s bond, general liability, and pension debt levels. Schroder says you can also measure how much each citizen would have to pay to pay it off.
“On a per person basis you can see how much debt each person is in compared to the other states in the nation, and we’re pretty high.”
Louisiana’s per person debt is 1627 dollars, good for 16th highest in the nation. The national average is 1447 dollars, and the southern regional average is 1148 dollars.
Schroder says he hopes people who visit the website will get a better idea of how the state’s spending priorities line up with theirs.
“What are the priorities of this Governor and this legislature? Then you can pick up a phone and call your legislators and ask them why they are financing this and why they are spending on that.”
