Q: What is LFT’s position on Constitutional Amendment 2?
LFT opposes Constitutional Amendment 2.
Q: Why does LFT oppose Constitutional Amendment 2?
LFT opposes Constitutional Amendment 2 because it is not just a local Baton Rouge issue. CA 2 would place the St. George Community School System into Louisiana’s constitutional public-school funding structure and give it parish-equivalent authority for purposes of the Minimum Foundation Program, certain schoolbooks and instructional materials funding, and certain local school revenues. This amendment would let St. George form its own district, similar to Baker, Central, and Zachary, and that it must be approved both statewide and in East Baton Rouge Parish.
Q: Why does this matter statewide?
This matters statewide because the current proposal spells out funding consequences beyond East Baton Rouge. The Legislative Fiscal Office says St. George would increase state MFP spending by about $2.4 million, reduce East Baton Rouge’s MFP allocation by about $17.6 million, and receive about $20 million in state MFP funding. The same fiscal note says other school systems could also see reduced MFP allocations because of how the formula accounts for student counts and local revenue. For five years, BESE would have to identify negatively affected districts and offset those losses by subtracting the amount from St. George and redistributing it.
Q: How would CA 2 affect East Baton Rouge Parish schools and revenue?
CA 2 would also shift major assets and revenue away from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. PAR says East Baton Rouge would have to transfer land, buildings, facilities, instructional materials, equipment, and buses to the new district, and school tax revenues collected within St. George would shift to the new system. The companion law says St. George would begin operating on July 1, 2027, and that beginning then, school sales taxes and property taxes collected within St. George would be remitted to the new system.
Q: Are there legacy-cost concerns?
There are also legacy-cost concerns. The fiscal note says East Baton Rouge must annually itemize post-employment benefit costs for employees hired by St. George and seek reimbursement through a legacy benefit trust. It says the actual per-pupil amount is unclear, gives an illustrative example of about $5.4 million, and states that the actual impact on either system is not yet clear. It also describes reimbursement obligations tied to certain construction debt.
Q: Why is this issue straightforward for LFT?
For LFT, the issue is straightforward: CA 2 would use the Constitution to lock in a breakaway district that could weaken the remaining parish system, widen inequities, and affect school funding calculations beyond East Baton Rouge. A breakaway school district could increase segregation, duplicate bureaucracy, create uneven educational opportunities, and leave the parish system carrying obligations tied to workers and facilities.
Q: What is the bottom line on CA 2?
Bottom line: LFT opposes CA 2 because it is a statewide constitutional and funding issue, not merely a local governance question. It could shift funding, assets, and responsibility away from the parish system, affect MFP allocations for other districts, and leave unresolved legacy-cost risks.