Airs Sunday, March 10, 2019, at 6 p.m. Louisiana has the second highest poverty rate in the country. This year Governor John Bel Edwards will attempt once again to raise the minimum wage for Louisiana workers. His goal is $8.50 an hour phased in over two years.
But is raising the minimum wage the answer to helping Louisiana residents get out of poverty? Or does the solution involve something more? Large numbers of high wage jobs go unfilled because employers can’t find qualified applicants. Nearly 55% of Louisiana adults lack a college degree or postsecondary credential. What is the state doing to train and further educate its citizens to obtain the skills to get a well-paying job? What programs are working and what challenges remain? Louisiana Public Square looks for answers on “Beyond the Minimum Wage.”
Our panelists are:
• Sen. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans
• Sec. Ava Dejoie, Louisiana Workforce Commission
• Dawn Starns, National Federation of Independent Businesses
• Dr. Monty Sullivan, Louisiana Community & Technical College System
The program features interviews with Renee Amar, with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry; Grace Bailey, a Lafayette working mother; Barry Erwin with the Council for A Better Louisiana; and Jan Moller with the Louisiana Budget Project. LPB CEO, Beth Courtney, and LPB news anchor, Andre’ Moreau, host.