Pelican Institute Provides Simple Guide to Louisiana’s 5 Amendments

Louisiana voters are staring at five constitutional amendments, and for a lot of people, the wording on the ballot feels like legal fog. In a recent interview, Daniel Erspamer of the Pelican Institute tried to cut through that in a recent interview with KEEL News.

This is not a neutral voter guide. It is a simple look at how that organization says people should vote, along with the reasons they gave for each position. 

The quick breakdown according to The Pelican Institute 

Amendment 1: YES
Amendment 2: YES
Amendment 3: YES
Amendment 4: YES
Amendment 5: Pelican Institute is neutral 

That was the organization’s bottom line in the interview. 

READ MORE: You can read each of the Amendments on the ballot by clicking HERE

Why Pelican says yes on Amendments 1, 2, and 3 

On Amendment 1, Erspamer argued the current civil service setup is too rigid and makes it harder for state agencies to reward strong employees and keep them in place. He said the change would not fire anyone, but would simply shift more authority over which jobs are classified and which are not. 

On Amendment 2, the Pelican Institute says yes because it sees the proposal as a local control issue. Erspamer said, “This is a vote for local control” when explaining why the group supports giving St. George authority to operate its own school system. 

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On Amendment 3, the group argues the proposal would use money already set aside for education to reduce retirement debt and free up recurring dollars for teacher pay. Erspamer described it as a “win win win all around” and said, “This frees up money for the long term.” 

Why Pelican says yes on 4 

Amendment 4 deals with the inventory tax, which businesses can owe on goods sitting on shelves before anything is sold. Erspamer called that one of the state’s most punishing taxes and said the amendment would give local governments the ability to reduce or eliminate it. 

His argument was simple. If parishes can back away from that tax, Louisiana becomes more attractive for business growth and job creation. As he put it, this sends the message that “Louisiana wants to be business friendly.” 

Why Pelican Stays Neutral on Amendment 5 

On Amendment 5, which would raise the age limit for judges seeking reelection from 70 to 75, the Pelican Institute is not taking a side. Erspamer said there are valid arguments both ways. People are living longer, but judges also do not have term limits, so age can serve as a natural stopping point. 

That makes Amendment 5 the one Pelican leaves to individual voters. 

The bottom line 

For voters who want the Pelican Institute recommendation in plain English, it is simple: back the first four amendments and make your own call on the fifth. That does not mean everyone will agree, but it does mean voters can walk in knowing exactly where this organization stands and why.