Jindal, Dardenne At Odds Over Tourism Budget

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne objects to the governor's office spending recommendations for Dardenne's tourism agency.

Dardenne says Gov. Bobby Jindal proposes to raid tourism marketing and park maintenance funds to pay for other expenses that don't match the intention of those pots of money. Dardenne suggested his budget was being "micromanaged" by the administration.

The issue surfaced Wednesday at a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee, which is combing through the 2011-12 budget.

Jindal's budget uses nearly $8 million from a state park maintenance fund to pay for ongoing park expenses, and nearly $6 million earmarked for tourism advertising efforts instead to pay for bowl games, a basketball championship, festivals and other events.

Jindal's budget adviser, Paul Rainwater, says a reworking would force cuts to health services and public colleges.