The Baton Rouge Area Chamber will support legislation to give universities competitive funding and more control over their own finances, which they say will enable LSU to compete with its flagship peers and help Southern University pursue higher performance targets. Institutions should be able to demonstrate “meaningful reductions in administrative expenses,” BRAC says. “Higher education is once again our top priority because it is the lynchpin to our region’s future, and it remains in a state of financial crisis,” says BRAC President Adam Knapp.
With a view to the regular session that begins Monday, BRAC also supports:
—Using the state’s Transportation Trust Fund money to create an air service fund “to recruit competitive air services to the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and other air carrier airports,” thereby increasing flight options.
—Reinstating the Louisiana Angel Investor Tax Credit, which expired at the end of 2009.
—Reinstating funds that have been cut from Louisiana Economic Development’s Tier 1 Regional Awards and Matching Grant Program, which help BRAC and similar bodies across the state with marketing and business retention and development.
—Renewal of the Quality Jobs program, the Research & Development Tax Credit and the Digital Media Tax Credit.
