Post by pavel on Mar 4, 2016 5:12:52 GMT -6
Louisiana House, Senate move closer toward budget solution, but hospitals, higher ed still on chopping block
The Louisiana House and Senate broke a three-day legislative logjam Thursday to move closer to a solution on filling this year’s budget deficit, but public hospitals and the state’s colleges and universities appear to remain on the chopping block without more taxes.
The impasse ended when a key Senate panel settled on its amount of budget cuts, and the House approved a 22-cent increase on cigarettes to $1.08 per pack.
While reducing the shortfall for this year’s budget, Thursday’s moves provided scant relief for solving next year’s bigger budget deficit, a monumental problem that legislators will have to grapple with after the special session ends on March 9.
In a special session since Feb. 14, state legislators and Gov. John Bel Edwards are attempting to cut enough spending and raise enough taxes to fully close this year’s $900 million shortfall, left over by Gov. Bobby Jindal and last year’s Legislature.
Read more: theadvocate.com/news/15073594-65/legislative-logjam-freed-house-oks-louisiana-cigarette-tax-hike
The Louisiana House and Senate broke a three-day legislative logjam Thursday to move closer to a solution on filling this year’s budget deficit, but public hospitals and the state’s colleges and universities appear to remain on the chopping block without more taxes.
The impasse ended when a key Senate panel settled on its amount of budget cuts, and the House approved a 22-cent increase on cigarettes to $1.08 per pack.
While reducing the shortfall for this year’s budget, Thursday’s moves provided scant relief for solving next year’s bigger budget deficit, a monumental problem that legislators will have to grapple with after the special session ends on March 9.
In a special session since Feb. 14, state legislators and Gov. John Bel Edwards are attempting to cut enough spending and raise enough taxes to fully close this year’s $900 million shortfall, left over by Gov. Bobby Jindal and last year’s Legislature.
Read more: theadvocate.com/news/15073594-65/legislative-logjam-freed-house-oks-louisiana-cigarette-tax-hike