Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 5. Source pages: 5.
In a not so tongue-in-cheek title in the 2016-2017 Executive Budget released April 12, the authors tell readers, “Welcome to the Real World.” Then they explain that the past seven years of budgets were based on one-time money and false assumptions, and that this fiscal year the state will embrace reductions of nearly $750 million to government agencies.
The budget lays out cuts to DHH (Department of Health and Hospitals), of $408.7 million, to TOPS of $183.2 million, to higher education of $46.1 million and to corrections of $34.1 million. Also the budget lists cuts to the Judicial Branch of $15.9 million and to the Legislative branch of $7.3 million.
Other reductions are to come from the Executive Department with reductions of $14.5 million, Juvenile Justice is to be cut by $18 million, and the Department of Education by $52.4 million.
The report notes that there are no reductions in General Fund for Mental Health Advocacy, Military Affairs, Public Defender Board, Veterans Affairs, Ethics Administration, State Police Commission, or Board of Tax Appeals. Also, certain funding is required by the constitution, such as elections, textbooks, debt service to corrections, and general obligation debt, for examples.
The report’s authors note that the 2016 Extraordinary Session resulted in increased revenue forecasted to be $1,259,100,000. This resulted in anticipated cuts of 63 percent dropping to a much smaller reductions, authors say.
However, even with the boost in tax revenues, the authors summarize the 2016- 2017 budget authors title the bottom line, “The Harsh Reality.”
According to the Louisiana Budget Project, legislators are trying to find TOPS money, and there is a “standoff” at the Capitol over holding another special fiscal session. The Project reported that some lawmakers are resisting tax increases and others want deeper cuts in the state contracts.
Another session would have to come after the June 6 adjournment of the regular session, now in progress.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.