KATHLEEN BABINEAUX BLANCO, DEMOCRAT
*Says that quality public education is the top priority for Louisiana, which will lead to continued economic growth. She has committed to connect education and the economy.*Encourage adult citizens who are unhappy with their earning ability to utilize more training and education at universities and technical and community colleges.*Workforce development through additional training and education in universities, community and vocational colleges.*Develop Louisiana Lifelong Learning Loans with special low interest rates, long maturities and deferred payments to use for training and certification programs in areas that most need skilled workers.*Any taxes that send companies to other states must be abolished.*Improve and expand interstate system to open up Lousiana for better commercial opportunities.*Appoint and lead a comprehensive business development group to promote Louisiana regionally, nationally and internationally as a business development location and a unique travel, tourism and retirement destination.*Expand business development programs that encourage the continued growth of small, minority and women-owned businesses.*Develop a competitive incentives package to support the emerging film and television production industry.*Ensure that the gas and oil regulatory boards are fair and efficient to boost business.*Support Louisiana’s oil and gas industry by standing firm in opposition to any attempt to create impediments to its security and growth, including any processing tax.*Link the agriculture and forestry industry with environmental stewardship*Prioritize concern regarding commodity prices, input costs and U.S. trade policy to protect Louisiana producers from foreign imports and export trade barriers.*Explore establishing Louisiana-based processing and manufacturing facilities to generate new, value-added products and businesses.
BOBBY JINDAL, REPUBLICAN
*Pay teachers competitive salaries.*Initiate a a merit-pay system for teachers.*Advocates a back-to-basics curriculum, with a focus on literacy and math.*Target teacher compensation increases to address specific staffing problems.*Develop more alternative schools and pursue other measures to improve classroom discipline and school safety.*Push to allow the state and other non-profit and for-profit school management organizations to take over failing schools.*Give families alternatives to failing schools, including a voucher system, while promoting competition at all schools.*Study alternative high school programs that highlight vocational skills.*Get more kids interested in scientific, technical and medical fields.*Offer advanced high school students expanded access to college courses and ensuring a rigorous senior year.*Maintain TOPS.*Stop heavily taxing corporate investment.*Improve the state’s community and technical college system.*Retrain for free any graduate of the Louisiana University system that does not meet the needs of employers.*Increase wages by helping high-paying employers expand and bring in new high-paying jobs.*Remove those state regulatory barriers that push companies to expand in other states than Louisiana.*Provide accessible, affordable, high-quality community and technical college programs.*Provide necessary financing for high quality education programs in the state.*Community and technical colleges should have programs designed around state industry. *Develop national caliber university research departments in fields important to the state’s targeted industry clusters.*Develop a nationally-competitive state research university.*Four-year institutions should adopt admission standards that ensure every admitted student has a reasonable chance of success. *Provide special attention to the financing needs of small firms.
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