Posted on 02/01/2016 6:34:29 AM PST by Ebenezer
Governor John Bel Edwards argues against those who say he is breaking a campaign promise by proposing to raise taxes to address Louisiana's massive budget shortfall.
Edwards says the proposals he's made are different than talked about during the election, because the facts are different. He also says these proposals are not what he wanted, but necessary.
"It is time to stop living in a fantasy land, it's time to stop pretending that things are better than they are. You're going to see honest budgeting, you're going to see responsible budgeting from me."
Edwards says during his campaign the state's financial situation wasn't as bad as it is now. He says next fiscal year's 1.9 billion dollar shortfall does not have an additional dollar accounted for inflation or anything else.
"There is no additional money there to count for merit raises for state employees, there is no money in there for a K-12 finding formula increase. In the strictest sense of the phrase, this is a continuation budget."
State Treasurer John Kennedy has said there is no need to raise taxes to balance the budget, but Edwards says Kennedy is trying to boost his US Senate campaign.
"John Kennedy is going to say what John Kennedy says and I appreciate that. The fact of the matter is he's running for Senate, he will do what he thinks is in his best interest, I would invite him to do what's in the state's best interest instead."
Pelican State ping
Edwards was in the State Legislature before becoming Governor. He didn’t know then how bad the budget situation was?
The folks of Louisiana elected a liberal democrat. They probably deserve the reward of higher taxes.
Only 3 1/2 years Louisiana. Keep your head up and hopefully next time you won’t have a dopey candidate in Vitter. The state was screwed no matter who won.......just do a better job picking your Republican nominee next time. It will be a long 4 years but other states have gone through this. It sucks but you probably needed this to take the primary more seriously next time.
No party affiliation mentioned in a negative article about a politician means they are a Democrat.
They voted for this guy, get what they asked for.
They made such a huge issue of Vitters past knowing damn good and well that if Edwards was caught in bed with a boy, it would be swept under the rug. It made my stomach turn.
As in real estate everything is location,location,location and so with democrats everything is Taxes,Taxes,Taxes, it is common knowledge there shouldn’t be a single person living in this country that doesn’t know that.
If you think about it, the only real issue Edwards used against Vitter during the campaign was the latter’s involvement with prostitutes.
Edwards also promised not to cut higher education when he was campaigning. The state has just now parceled out major cuts to each institution.
Jindal cut about $700,000,000 from higher education during his tenure.
Jindal didn’t do the Louisiana GOP any favors with his two (to put it mildly) unimpressive terms as Governor. In the end, it was all about his not-a-chance quest for the presidential nomination.
I seem to remember the phrase “No controlling Legal Authority.......”
“In the end, it was all about his not-a-chance quest for the presidential nomination.”
A quest he pursued for eight years.
Stupid Republicans we have in Louisiana.
1. Jindal. Keep the budget balanced / surplus and actually care about your job. He could have been senator.
2. Vitter. Give it a rest.
He is lying again.
He was a legislature. He knew all the facts. There is no significant change in facts from his time in the legislatures.
Well, other than his promise to lower executive pay cause Jindal was paying too much. Roflol. Then he boosted pay massively.
“”It is time to stop living in a fantasy land, it’s time to stop pretending that things are better than they are. You’re going to see honest budgeting, you’re going to see responsible budgeting from me.”
“...just do a better job picking your Republican nominee next time. It will be a long 4 years...”
Hope we don’t need to say that about the USA next year!
Governor John Bel Edwards argues against those who say he is breaking a campaign promise by proposing to raise taxes... says the proposals he's made are different than talked about during the election, because the facts are different.No, the facts are exactly the same, he was lying during his campaign, and continues to lie now.
To Edwards, “living in a fantasy land” means not expecting Democrats to raise taxes.
When I moved to Lousyana in ‘81, the kid’s junior high school had a brand new football stadium complete with concrete stands - and he was given a geography book that was printed my senior year in high school.
Jindal did some good things, but he didn’t change the culture.
When oil prices are high, they piss away increases in state revenues; when oil prices drop, they scream “essential services are at risk, need more revenue.”
During repeated budget crises in the early ‘80s they claimed 80% of state employees were essential. Yet, if there was a chance of severe weather in the morning, they told 80% of employees to stay home (with pay, of course).
During the N.O. Worlds Fair boondoggle (’83?) when they (predictably) got way over budget during construction, they raised state income tax rates in a special session right after Christmas - and made them retroactive for the entire year. In response to complaints, the politicians said, “Oh this is not a tax increase, we’re only rescinding the previous tax cut.” They should dust off this strategy.
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