Lawmakers wary of using excess to grow budget
by Mike Hasten - The Daily Advertiser (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE - A growing number of state lawmakers are expressing concern about using excess revenues to pump up the budget that goes into effect July 1.

The Jindal administration's proposed overall $30.1 billion budget is $3 billion smaller than the current budget but that's because fewer federal funds are flowing into the state. The amount of state-generated revenue proposed for spending is $15 billion, up $461 million, or 3.17 percent.

The administration wants to use excess revenues in the current budget to set aside another $310 million in a fund that already has $140 million to attract large industry to specified "megasites." That's a major problem for a number of lawmakers.

Opposition to using the additional revenues "is going to come from a number of different spots," said Speaker of the House Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown. Conservative members of the Legislature believe it is a bad idea to add even more to the budget, so the opposition "is probably going to be more from the conservatives than the liberals, though you won't find many liberals in Louisiana."

On the "megafund," Tucker said "I think there is a real problem with putting $400 million on the shelf and letting it sit there. I don't think we will be putting $400 million on a shelf."

State Sen. Mike Michot, R-Lafayette, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, agrees.

"There's a big concern among many members," he said. The reason, Michot said, is "lawmakers can't be sure that the current excess won't be needed for something other than what the governor wants."

Michot also doesn't like the idea of pumping up the "megafund" when there's no firm prospect for using the money.