Budget tricks part of an old pattern
Louisiana does not raise enough revenue to fund basic services and make investments for sustained economic growth. As a result, Louisiana legislators and governors have continuously relied on budget gimmicks to patch state operating budgets, Mark Ballard writes:
“It’s a pattern of not generating enough revenues to pay for the state’s modest portion—the federal government kicks in a lot of dollars—for roads, schools, law enforcement, taking care of the elderly, disaster management, health care for the poor, higher education, monitoring water quality, universities, prisons, attracting businesses and any number of other services demanded by the politicians voters elect.… Read more...