Nathan Stubbs

Acadiana legislators say "enough" to surplus spending

by Nathan Stubbs

A bipartisan coalition of Acadiana legislators wants to put the brakes on state surplus spending. Six state House members, led by Rep. Joel Robideaux of Lafayette and Fred Mills of St. Martinville, have filed legislation requiring any additional state surplus dollars that may come in this year be returned to taxpayers in the form of rebates.The proposed bill establishes an “enough is enough” fund to collect any additional revenues identified at the state’s May Revenue Estimating Conference, and calls on the legislature to formulate a plan for rebates. In addition to Robideaux and Mills, the other legislators backing the bill are Taylor Barras (New Iberia), Simone Champagne (Jeanerette), Page Cortez (Lafayette) and Jonathan Perry (Kaplan).

In a press release issued yesterday, the group notes that the state has already spent a surplus of over $1 billion for fiscal year 2006-2007, and nearly another $1 billion for fiscal year 2007-2008. “The people of Louisiana are struggling financially,” says Mills.  “With the high price of gasoline and groceries, it’s ridiculous that the state is spending every extra billion it gets. Enough is enough.  The state spending spree must stop. It’s the people’s money, let’s give it back to the people."