Louisiana Legislature agrees to deficit-closing plan hours before special session deadline
The Louisiana Legislature closed a $304 million mid-year budget deficit after a short special session on Wednesday, and now legislators are beginning work on the next budget cycle.
The final plan for closing the shortfall in the budget that ends June 30 relies on $99 million from the state's rainy day fund. The rest will be made up through cuts to state agencies and other funding sources.
"You know you're in a good place where nobody's totally happy, but everybody's reasonably satisfied," said Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Beginning Thursday morning, the focus will shift toward the next budget cycle, when Edwards presents his recommendations for the budget that begins July 1. The Legislature will ultimately hash out a final budget in the session that begins in April.
Read more: http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_b29776de-f8f2-11e6-ad5b-9f8d7cd70c98.html
