BATON ROUGE (AP) - After failing to raise any money in the just-ended special session, Louisiana's lawmakers are supposed to move to the next step. They are charged with crafting a budget with the cuts required to eliminate a shortfall only four months away.

  

Gov. John Bel Edwards doesn't believe the Legislature will agree to strip nearly $700 million in state financing from programs and services in the regular session that begins Monday.

  

Legislative leaders also question if the House and Senate will make such politically-charged decisions.

  

Already, plans are in the works for another special session on taxes with the assumptions the cuts won't fly.

  

But Edwards says it will be a worthwhile exercise, to see if GOP lawmakers who insist Louisiana wastes money can devise a plan for where to shrink spending.