Kennedy: TOPS Funding Scare Is A Political Tactic (Audio)
State Treasurer John Kennedy says everyone at the State Capitol know exactly what's behind Gov. John Bel Edwards wanting to hold a second special session concerning the Louisiana budget.
Louisiana has more than enough money to fully fund TOPS, but Governor Edwards, and most--not all--of the Democrats in the legislature, want to pass a budget that severely cuts TOPS so the people will get upset and he can call a special session of the legislature and force the legislature to raise personal income taxes by about $900 million.
With the state facing a $600 million budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Edwards is urging for legislators to face another special session to patch the gaping financial hole.
Kennedy told Rob and Bernie on Acadiana's Morning News Friday, in the earlier special session the governor raised taxes by $1.3 billion.
On Thursday, the state's Revenue Estimating Conference reported finding no extra funds in the state's revenue to fill the $600-million gap.
REC Chairman James Richardson called the state's currently negative employment numbers scary.
Though Kennedy is running for a U.S. Senate seat being vacate by Sen, David Vitter, he told Rob and Bernie the state's budget concerns trump his political career at the moment.
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