Jindal Budget To Be Unveiled Friday

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal kicks off the official negotiations over Louisiana's budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Friday.

That's when he offers his 2011-12 budget proposal to lawmakers and explains how he proposes to cut and patch his way through a $1.6 billion general fund gap for the year that begins July 1.

The governor's top budget adviser, Commissioner of Administration Paul Rainwater, will present Jindal's recommendations to the House and Senate budget committees after months of behind-the-scenes haggling with department chiefs, lobbyists and advocacy groups over spending plans.

Cuts are expected to hit public colleges and health care services.

Lawmakers will spend months combing through the spending proposals before crafting a final budget.