President Obama targeted tax loopholes and creating credits to aid America's middle class in the State of The Union address last night. "He's looking to rebalance the tax code," said University of Louisiana at Monroe Political Science Professor Dr. Joshua Stockley.
Stockley points to a proposal to raise taxes on the nation's wealthiest, while creating credits for America's middle-income families. While the majority of the speech focused on broader, national issues, Louisiana could feel the effects of some items in last night's address. "We have a large community college population in Louisiana, we also have a number of undereducated people here. Free tuition at those colleges would be beneficial," said Stockley.
The immediate economic outlook for the state remains fragile as oil prices continue to remain low. Stockley says one positive note Louisiana and the region can fall back on is the diversity of workforce. "As long as Louisiana continues to draw in service and technology interests, the state will be solidly positioned for whatever lies ahead," he said.