Today, Governor JohnBelEdwards is expected to issue his call for the special legislative session to begin February14th.
“The need for additional revenue is now, and it’s acute,” Edwards has said.
The call will tell lawmakers to consider a number of revenue-raising measures to alleviate the state budget shortfall, which Commissioner of Administration attributes to “poor fiscal planning combined with a shortfall of revenue.”
House Republicans aren’t loving the idea. They have sent the governor a letter, asking for the call to include the directive to cut spending, rather than just raising revenue first.
“Members want to see cuts first,” House Appropriations chairman Cameron Henry told New Orleans area TV station WVUE earlier this week.
However, the state constitution requires the governor to make mid-year cuts, with the legislature only permitted to take over if the governor can’t or won’t do it. But the governor can’t begin to cut until the shortfalls become official. Here’s where managing the clock comes into play in this game of political brinkmanship.
The Revenue Estimating Conference is scheduled to meet again February 10th.That’s when the shortfalls for this year and next actually become official, and the 30-day clock starts ticking on the governor making the mid-year cuts. Then, on the 13th, the administration has to present its budget proposal for the next fiscal year.
“I will be presenting a budget on behalf of Governor Edwards that is stark reality,” Dardenne has warned. “There will be no contingencies. We will say, ‘This is the doomsday scenario that we, as an administration, are obligated to present to you based upon the Louisiana Constitution’.”
In other words, the House Republicans will get their cuts -- the day before the special session begins.
Copyright 2016 WRKF
