Louisiana Budget Bill Is Tough To Handle

The folks at the Louisiana Legislature who are responsible for putting together Louisiana's budget were very busy yesterday, and have been for some time.  The full Legislature will have to approve was has been crafted, but as usual, not everyone will agree on the budget.  The debate could be fast and furious.

The committee put together a $25 billion budget for next year.  Since Louisiana is in the hole with the budget, the plan calls for cuts to public colleges and health care services.  The plan would also mean layoffs for some state workers, and it would encourage continued privatization of some services by state agencies.

The House Appropriations Committee did approve the funding ideas, but they did warn Governor Bobby Jindal's administration that they disagree with the amount of one-time money used to pay for continuing services.  They also mentioned that the budget needs to be rewritten pretty seriously before getting full House approval.