Although some economic conservatives (both Republican and Democrats) might want to turn the hands back to an $18 billion dollar budget that existed immediately post-Katrina, based upon the numbers presented by the Jindal Administration on Friday, it won’t happen.
While there might be a half-billion reduction, here or there, once you take out the Katrina federal money that was infused in the budget last year, in reality, however, the numbers are pretty close to that of the Blanco budget.
Which is a harsh reality that even if the government cuts jobs, factoring that one-half of the budget is federal money, the Blanco and Jindal budgets are very close in total number of dollars to be spent.
The Jindal budget is actually a budget facing reality.One can tinker around the edges, but, the approximate 30 billion budget is not an 18-billion dollar budget from the fall of 2005, and won’t be.
As Jindal noted this week, there are onerous taxes we must eliminate during the upcoming special session.But, there are real infrastructure needs such as job training, money to help retain businesses, teacher raises, major economic development project project funds that cannot be ignored, even if we don't have much of a chance to land any major economic projects in the near future.
Jindal is also quite aware that the state sorely has healthcare needs for the disabled, and road and port infrastructure requirements that must be met.
The days of the $18 billion dollar pocketbook obviously has gone the route of the "tooth fairy".Louisiana must rebuild the Southeastern part of the state, make certain that all industry requirements (such as job training) are met and grin and bear that it costs money to run a government and rebuild the state after devastation.
It will be interesting to see how many fiscal conservatives pitch a fit at a Republican Governor who has offered a budget over twelve billion dollars more than Blanco’s bare-bone budget from only thirty somewhat months ago.
With Katrina money and rebuild money still floating around heating up the government revenues opportunities, with oil prices at record high, it would take a substantial cataclysmic drop in revenue potential to return to the numbers of 2005 or to go on a major government fiscal diet.With the money available, it appears that it is going to be spent, perhaps not as quickly or mightily, but whole departments are not being cut either.
Candidate Jindal has learned much as he has taken over the reigns as Governor Jindal.While many are touting that we have achieved a Ethics revolution, based upon the numbers presented by the new Administration, we’re not going to see a Government Fiscal Revolution.
As Governor Foster might say, that kind of tinkering would be for “tooth fairies” anyway.So, unless the fiscal conservatives are willing to cut their teeth on Governor Jindal this early in his administration, there won’t too many of those fairies flying around anytime real soon.
Interestingly no comment from any of the conservative faction. It's the right idea to invest in infrastructure, education and health care. Doing those things will help businesses be able to grow and create jobs and have a lot more direct and immediate impact than getting a few ethics laws passed will Written by Richard P.
on 3/2/2008
REPORT SPAM OR ABUSE
Although some economic conservatives (both Republican and Democrats) might want to turn the hands back to an $18 billion dollar budget that existed immediately post-Katrina, based upon the numbers presented by the Jindal Administration on Friday, it won’t happen.
