Senators Question House Budgeting
by MARSHA SHULER - Advocate (excerpt)

The state’s top higher education official said the House-passed budget does nothing to ease a $219 million budget shortfall, even though extra dollars were appropriated because of the “iffy” nature of some funds. “We still have a cut of $219 million,” State Higher Education Commissioner Sally Clausen said.

Meanwhile, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s top money manager, Angèle Davis, said the House-passed bill also earmarks too much “one-time money” for reoccurring expenses. “One time money” are those revenues that are not expected to continue year after year and therefore cannot be counted on to fund ongoing expenses. Davis said the administration’s original budget plan included use of $86 million in one-time funds. By the time, the spending plan left the House it had ballooned to $305 million. She said the House also spent $14.1 million on “special legislative projects.”

(Senator John) Alario also questioned House intentions to reduce the state employee ranks by 2,278 positions further than originally proposed. He said there would be employee layoffs with no rhyme or reason why the jobs have been targeted. “Without an idea of where we are going on that, that’s very dangerous,” Alario said. “You are leaving it wide open to further hurt higher education and health care.”