AP Wire

Governor cuts $44M from La. construction budget

by Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press

The largest item cut from the construction budget was $15 million for a road project in Scott.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has stripped $44 million in lawmakers' projects from the state's multiyear construction budget, saying Louisiana can't afford them.

Twenty-five projects were struck from the bill by the governor, line-item vetoes announced Tuesday.

The rejected items include money for LSU Eunice, Louisiana Tech University, a recreational complex in Iberia Parish, natural gas system improvements in Grant Parish and water system improvements in Columbia.

The two largest items cut from the construction budget were $15 million for a road project in the city of Scott and $11 million for an arts district in St. Tammany Parish.

The Democratic governor has sought to shrink the size of the construction budget, known as the capital outlay bill. Even with the vetoes, it still contains more projects than Louisiana can afford.