After days of closed-door negotiations, Louisiana House leaders are supporting a $24.7 billion compromise budget, rather than the proposal submitted by Gov. Bobby Jindal.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - After days of closed-door negotiations, Louisiana House leaders are supporting a $24.7 billion compromise budget, rather than the proposal submitted by Gov. Bobby Jindal.
The test of that support comes Friday, when the House is scheduled to vote on the package of measures that pay for the budget - and the spending plan itself. It needs two-thirds backing to pass.
Lawmakers objected to Jindal's proposal to use $500 million in uncertain financing from property sales, legal settlements, fund sweeps and other items that haven't yet happened and that would only drum up money for one year.
The House compromise would replace those dollars for ongoing services with money raised from trimming tax break programs, cuts to state agencies and the anticipation of $200 million generated from a tax amnesty program.