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Lawmakers to discuss raising more revenue in upcoming special session

7 years 9 months 2 weeks ago Monday, May 30 2016 May 30, 2016 May 30, 2016 6:52 PM May 30, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ
By: Alicia Serrano, Mark Armstrong

BATON ROUGE- In order to save critical state services from being cut in order to fill the budget shortfall, $600 million needs to be raised.

Commissioner Jay Dardenne says cuts recommended by the State Senate are necessary.

"I don't know that we're going to get to $600 million, but we need some additional money, to fully fund tops to make the hospitals a more palatable arraignment, and to fill in some of the holes in DCFC and corrections," Dardenne said.

Raising more revenue could mean tax increases for residents or businesses losing some of their tax exemptions.

A small group of Republicans are opponents of raising more money.

"S lot of members are a little concerned.... we just raised an additional $1.2 billion.. I think members would like to see how much of that money actually comes in before we go in and raise more," Rep. Cameron Henry said.

Henry said that he believes the state government already has enough money to fully fund critical and popular state services, however state agencies are inflexible by demanding more money.

The Edwards administration says that it is just trying to raise the revenue needed without resorting to the Jiindal administration practice of using "one-time" money, that many argue as having left the state with a deficit.

"This is the reality check, this is what our state really looks like right now. And we're trying to advance and fund priorities in government that will let Louisiana grow," Henry said.

The next special session to discuss raising more revenue begins Monday, June 6 and is scheduled to run for two and a half weeks.

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