WBRZ - Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is proposing a $24.9 billion budget next year - down $1 billion from this year. It assumes the sale of three state prisons and increased state employee retirement payments.

Jindal outlined his recommendations Thursday for closing a $1.6 billion budget gap for the fiscal year that begins July 1. He offered few specifics about proposed cuts, except that they will include about 2,000 layoffs and less money for state charity hospitals.

The governor's top budget adviser will present Jindal's budget proposal Friday in more detail to the House and Senate budget committees.

Lawmakers will spend months combing through the spending proposals before crafting a final budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year that begins July 1.