Lawmakers have given Gov. Bobby Jindal all the power to choose among their favored projects in next year's construction budget.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Lawmakers have given Gov. Bobby Jindal all the power to choose among their favored projects in next year's construction budget.
They packed the bill so it contains $389 million more than the state has money to spend, leaving the governor to pick and choose which water system upgrades, economic development initiatives and parish road work will move forward in the budget year that begins July 1.
The Jindal administration hasn't indicated which new projects it will forward to the Bond Commission for lines of credit or when it will make those decisions.
House members tried to rein in the overstuffing of the budget, known as the "capital outlay" bill. But they lost that battle with senators, who loaded up the bill.