Durel Talks Lafayette Parish Budget – Lafayette Live

Over the next 4-6 weeks the Lafayette Consolidated Government will be deliberating over the budget for the upcoming year. Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel stopped by “Mornings with Ken and Bernie” for his weekly “Lafayette Live” segment to discuss the budget process.

It's going very well. In fact, it went too well. There wasn't a whole lot of changes. We did Fire, Police, public works, and capitol projects so far. - Joey Durel

Durel says there's always a lot of confusion surrounding the budget, but most of that is due to the complicated nature of the consolidated government.

This is unbelievably complicated. You've got to understand that the two governments are kept separately. The books are separate. - Joey Durel

The City-Parish President gave some insight into the numbers associated with LCGs finances, explaining that not all available budget funds are actually available.

Budget is around $600 million, but that's not the practical budget. About $300 million of that goes to LUS. That's the money it spends and takes in. Then about $70 to $80 million is intergovernmental transfers. In the end what we have to work with is a little over $100 million. - Joey Durel

Click the play button below to hear the entire interview: