Some Louisiana House Republicans are breaking ranks with members of party leadership who oppose tapping the state’s Rainy Day Fund to soften $304 million in midyear budget cuts, though they’re likely in the minority.
As the USA Today Network of Louisiana reports, House GOP Chairman Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, and other Republican representatives have said they won’t vote to unlock $119 million from the Rainy Day Fund. Since it takes a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate to use the Rainy Day fund, the Republican majority in the House could block its use. But Rep. Rob Shadoin, R-Ruston, called the USA Today Network of Louisiana to say House leadership doesn’t speak for him on this issue.
“I can’t speak for anyone else; they don’t speak for me,” Shadoin says. “I’ll do whatever it takes to spare colleges and hospitals more cuts. They’ve had enough. If I had to vote today I would vote to use the Rainy Day Fund.”
Harris made public Thursday his own plan to clear the $304 million midyear deficit without using the Rainy Day Fund and without having to call a special session, which Gov. John Bel Edwards wants to do.
The bulk of Harris’ cuts—$147 million—would come from the Louisiana Department of Health, but state prisons and K-12 education, among other agencies, would also take hits. Colleges and universities would be spared under Harris’ plan.
Rep. Bubba Chaney, R-Rayville, a member of the House Appropriations Committee that crafts the budget, said he will likely support using the Rainy Day Fund.
“With this deficit looming we have to consider using every tool in the toolbox to make cuts that would impact the fewest number of people,” Chaney said. “I’m not opposed to using the Rainy Day Fund as part of an overall plan to help mitigate the total amount of the deficit and to lessen the blows to higher education and health care. I don’t think we can afford to take anything off of the table.”
That Shadoin and Chaney would break with the party isn’t surprising. They’re seen as among the more moderate faction of the GOP, and Shadoin in particular has been a consistent ally of the governor.
