The Louisiana House of Representatives passed the linchpin of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ special session plan, a one-cent increase to the state’s four-cent sales tax that is expected to generate more than $200 million this fiscal year, on Thursday.
The sales tax increase now goes to the Senate, along with other measures passed by the House on Thursday—cutting state spending by $100 million, down from the proposed $117 million, and using $328 million from the “rainy day” fund and BP oil money to balance the more than $900 million shortfall this fiscal year.
The special session ends March 9, and the regular session begins March 14.
On Monday, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation unveiled a strategy to combat the city’s mental health crisis that the authors say will save the city-parish nearly $60 million in 10 years. The report calls for all community stakeholders to unite and adopt a population health strategy and create a mental health diversion center.
Also this week, the Planning Commission, at BRAF’s request, has asked the Metro Council to withdraw from its agenda the item formally creating the Baton Rouge Health District, following last week’s deferral by the Metro Council Zoning Commission.
Here’s a rundown of some of the other top stories making headlines in Daily Report this week:
- Having seen little to no progress made on the state of health care in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison over six months, Metro Councilwoman Chauna Banks-Daniel says it’s time to remove Prison Medical Services from under the EMS umbrella.
- Friends and colleagues this week are remembering state Rep. Ronnie Edwards as a compassionate leader and mentor following the former Metro Councilwoman’s death Wednesday after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
- Corey delaHoussaye, a businessman who became a whistleblower over millions of dollars billed for debris cleanup in Livingston Parish in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, is suing the Louisiana Office of the Inspector General and its investigators, alleging malicious prosecution, invasion of privacy and defamation.
- Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler says Louisiana could have saved an estimated $3.5 million if the state Legislature had heeded his advice last year and decided to hold presidential caucuses instead of a presidential primary.
- Fed up with persistent delays in the city-parish’s permitting process, Metro Councilman Ryan Heck is proposing an ordinance that will require the Department of Development to act on a permit application within 10 days.
- As work begins to ramp up on the Water Campus, local and state economic leaders are compiling a list of assets available in the area as a tool to recruit businesses to the riverfront research park.
- The East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority’s best chance for long-term sustainability requires a dedicated funding stream from the city-parish of between $1.5 million and $4.5 million a year, according to recommendations contained in a new business plan released this week. To keep the agency afloat this year, the city-parish appropriated $100,000 to the RDA on Feb. 10.
- Martin Ecosystems, a Baton Rouge family-owned environmental manufacturing company, will soon move into a new 12,000-square-foot office and warehouse in the Cloverland Business Park.
- The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals left approximately $29 million on the table because it lacked the necessary mechanisms to recover claims from third-parties liable to pay for medical services provided for Medicaid recipients, Louisiana Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera told the Press Club of Baton Rouge on Monday.
- More trees, lighting and crosswalks could be coming to Perkins Road near the overpass as part of a proposed project to spruce up the streetscape along the popular stretch of restaurants, bars and shops.
- Real estate broker Darryl Gissel and former East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court candidate Sarah Holliday-James both said this week that they are considering running for Baton Rouge mayor.
—Ryan Broussard
