Gov. John Bel Edwards' top financial adviser says it's "inevitable" Louisiana will have a deficit to close from the last budget year, though it's too soon to say how large the gap will be.
Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne said Monday there's one more week of tax collection data to receive before the books are formally closed on the year that ended June 30.
But he told the Baton Rouge Press Club that economists and financial advisers expect a shortfall that will have to be closed over the current budget year. State agencies already were asked to lessen spending as a safeguard against likely cuts.
Dardenne also says renegotiations of the LSU hospital privatization deals are nearing an end. He expects changes to the arrangements will be announced within weeks.