[caryatid]

Budget Cuts in Governor Blanco's Hands
It looks like the power to slice up the state's budget rests solely in the hands of Governor Blanco.

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Watch WAFB.com for more information on this ... all that comes up now is a picture of the Governor and this blurb. Note that the image is an old one ...

[LA Woman3]

Note that the image is an old one ...

Pre-Katrina photo...

[LA Woman3]

It looks like the power to slice up the state's budget rests solely in the hands of Governor Blanco. A budget committee was supposed to meet Friday morning to go over the cuts with her, but attorney general Charles Foti says she has the power to do it on her own.

One law says Governor Blanco can cut 3-percent of the budget on her own, but up to 5-percent with the help of the joint budget committee. But according to the attorney general's opinion, a separate law trumps that giving the governor the power to cut ten-percent herself.

Governor Blanco had state agencies submit scenarios of what they could cut out of their spending. She's expected to act on those cuts before the special session begins on Sunday. The hurricanes put out budget in a billion dollar hole.