Too many of the voices we have heard recently—especially from the news media—sound like Chicken Little, says Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister in his latest column.
“Let me predict here and now, the world will not end for Louisiana or higher education during the upcoming session of the Legislature. Solutions will be found,” McCollister writes. “The fact is … much of the world here does not revolve around or depend on the Legislature. Business is strong in Louisiana and getting even better (the energy industry being an exception due to the current low price of oil). I hear from many company CEOs who had a record year and look to grow and expand in 2015.”
McCollister notes that many of these companies weathered the recession and did more with less, meaning they’re not sympathetic to government or higher education having to do the same thing.
“And they are not interested in paying more taxes to bail out anyone,” he writes. “They also know, like you and I do, that many of the problems Louisiana faces have been talked about for decades.”
Those problems, McCollister says, include too many constitutionally dedicated items in the state’s budget, with only health care and higher education at risk for cuts; too many four-year colleges in the state; the very generous pension and health care benefits for state workers in defined plans; and the lack of colleges’ autonomy to handle their own tuition, fees, purchasing and risk management.
“These are just a few of the tired discussions we have had for decades. Everyone agrees something should be done—but just don’t mess with me and mine,” McCollister writes. “Our history of populism (‘a chicken in every pot’) haunts us because 80% of Louisiana residents are native and have grown up with ‘the way we’ve always done it before.’ We expect the status quo to continue and the state to pay for everything. Those days are over—in Louisiana and elsewhere—because there is not enough money, and taxpayers have had enough. The middle class is not giving up TOPS scholarships, and the Stelly Plan is not coming back.”
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