Baton Rouge state Rep. Rick Edmonds has shelved his budget-rebalancing proposal to slash $188 million from state spending over the remaining four months of the financial year.
The Associated Press reports that Edmonds pulled his plan from the House floor after two hours of discussion without a vote.
The House is instead taking up a different cut proposal with fewer reductions than Edmonds sought, a proposal by Republican Rep. Cameron Henry.
Edmonds’ bill proposed cutting $128 million more than Gov. John Bel Edwards wants to reduce to help eliminate Louisiana’s deficit—and wouldn’t use money from the state’s savings fund at all.
Henry’s bill being debated today would use $75 million of the reserves, still less than the $120 million Edwards wants.
The governor wants to use the $119 million in reserves. The Democratic governor’s proposal calls for cutting $60 million from agencies, using money available from the Rainy Day Fund and tapping into $120 million in other available financing to fill holes. He wants to shield colleges, K-12 public schools, state prisons and the state’s child welfare agency from slashing. The approach is backed by Senate leaders.
But some House Republicans say Louisiana needs to permanently pare spending, rather than use a savings account to patch through another year, after nine years of repeated financial shortfalls.
The House debate today comes as the 10-day deficit-closing special session hit its midpoint. Lawmakers have until Wednesday to pull together a final plan to rebalance the $27 billion state operating budget for the financial year that ends June 30.
