Legislature Convenes In Baton Rouge Today

At high noon the gavel will fall and the Louisiana Legislature will get down to business. The biggest issue facing our elected officials in Baton Rouge this session is a very difficult budget situation. With a one-point-six-billion dollar shortfall in the state coffers the decisions and what to cut and how much to cut will be difficult.

Cuts are not the only means that lawmakers have of reducing the budget shortfall. Senate President John Alario says looking for ways to increase revenue to the state is another way to ease the pain of a difficult budget situation.

"Most of the tax exemptions will be reviewed very strongly. We've been very generous on some of those and I think the legislature wants to make sure that the state is getting a good return on its investments."

Certainly one of the most publicly scrutinized tax programs has been the tax credits extended to bolster that state's film industry. A recent study showed that this tax cred was only generating .23 cents in state revenue for every one dollar that is spent.

"There have been some abuses and I think folks would like to tighten up on the abuses that have been given and probably put some type of cap on the expenditure."

Alario in his comments to the Louisiana Radio Network also said legislators will be looking at bills concerning a tax on tobacco products. Speculation is that for the Governor to approve those taxes there will have to be tax cuts in some other areas.

Alario says there are several different ideas being floated through both chambers of the legislature. Eventually lawmakers will find one that suits the state's current situation the best and then they will put that to a vote.