EDITORIAL: Louisiana's Cost-Cutting Panels Just A First Step
The Town Talk (excerpt)

Given the mind-boggling levels of spending by government, most of us probably had not noticed this: For the first time, state spending nationwide has declined in back-to-back years. You read that right.

It's good news that Louisiana is among the states working to reduce spending. So far it has used a combination of job reductions in some areas, furloughs, early retirements and across-the-board cuts that allowed division heads to spread the reductions, as needed, among programs, services and staff. That was a start.

Next up: targeted reductions. That's what two cost-cutting panels have been working on since summer: one to recommend ways to reduce spending on higher education, and the other to do likewise in all areas. Gov. Bobby Jindal, who called for the sweeping cost-cutting initiative, will receive the panels' recommendations and then give the Legislature its chance to decide how to proceed. Jindal said he would prefer that the reductions come by way of bipartisan work in the Legislature. Still, he has made it clear that he will use the power of his office, as needed, to achieve the desired results.