Posted on 11/30/2008 2:20:56 PM PST by Al B.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) The more Louisiana lawmakers talk about the state budget, the more it becomes clear a slew of them had very little idea what they approved in this year's nearly $30 billion spending plan.
That includes many members of committees that spent hours reviewing and helping construct plans for spending billions of dollars in taxpayer money.
The details and nuance, it seems, were less important when the state was flush with cash.
[SNIP]
Meanwhile, state spending grew by $1 billion in the current year that began July 1, an increase of 12 percent. That's an area lawmakers and the administration directly control.
Rep. John Schroder, R-Covington, was on the House Appropriations Committee when it worked on this year's budget. At a recent budget hearing, he said he didn't realize state spending had grown.
"So, our state budget grew? Can you explain that?" he asked fiscal analysts who then explained what was in the budget bill Schroder approved.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
So, these people commute back and forth between LA and CA?
He's apparently got quite a challenge in front of him.
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