Jindal strips more than $16M from La. budget

By The Associated Press | The Natchez Democrat

Published Monday, July 14, 2008

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal stripped more than $16 million in legislative pet projects from this year’s budget, including funds for a balloon festival, playground equipment, museums, the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and non-governmental organizations favored by legislators.

The more than 250 line-item vetoes announced Monday irritated lawmakers, who said the spending represents a tiny fraction of the budget but provides needed services and worthwhile projects around the state.

Jindal described the projects that he removed as spending the state couldn’t afford. His vetoes struck nearly a third of the add-ons that lawmakers put in the $29.9 billion budget.

‘‘It is our job to ensure tax dollars are wisely spent and invested in state priorities that will further our creation of a new Louisiana that encourages business growth and job creation,’’ the governor said at a news conference.

Gone from the budget are dollars for dog parks in Terrebonne Parish, a gym in Covington, the Knock Knock Children’s Museum of Baton Rouge, the Greater New Orleans Biosciences Economic Development District, an art festival in St. Bernard Parish, local Habitat for Humanity organizations and more.

Legislators said worthy organizations and projects were stripped from the budget.

‘‘There are many, many items on the list that are very worthy causes. They provide services to their local people, and without this money, they will not be able to provide these services,’’ said Sen. Mike Michot, R-Lafayette, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and a Jindal floor leader. He cited youth organizations and museums that won’t receive state funding.

Jindal campaigned on the need to rein in ‘‘out of control’’ government spending and to cut down funding on legislative pet projects.

About $39 million in legislative earmarks remain in the budget bill that Jindal signed. But the governor noted his line-item vetoes added up to more than double the line-items vetoed in the last 12 years combined, by two former governors.

‘‘We have to treat the taxpayers’ dollars as precious,’’ Jindal said.

Each year, lawmakers add millions of dollars in so-called ‘‘member amendments’’ to the budget. Jindal warned lawmakers earlier this year that he would veto dollars for non-governmental organizations that don’t meet certain criteria.

He issued a letter to legislative leaders, saying that each project must have regional impact, be a state agency priority and have been openly discussed during the legislative session. Proper disclosure forms about the organizations must also have been filed with the House and Senate.

But other items — besides non-government organization funding — were removed from the budget as well, and lawmakers said they didn’t understand what criteria the governor and his staff used to strip the projects.

‘‘I don’t know if they really understand all areas of this state and the needs of all areas in this state. I can tell you I don’t understand the cuts,’’ said Sen. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, a Jindal ally. He said his northeast Louisiana district lost dollars for programs that help the elderly, at-risk children and the poor.

Senate President Joel Chaisson, D-Destrehan, said the vetoes hit many projects that would have had ‘‘a significant positive impact on the lives of real Louisiana citizens. I think that the governor made a mistake in eliminating so many of those projects from this budget.’’

Jindal said many of the organizations were good causes that people should support with their private donations and volunteer hours.

‘‘That doesn’t necessarily mean those organizations should get scarce taxpayer dollars,’’ he said.

Barry Erwin, head of the nonpartisan Council for a Better Louisiana, praised Jindal’s vetoes. ‘‘Overall, I think it was a pretty good start. I think he was responding to what a lot of people had been saying for some time in that we need to focus on state priorities,’’ Erwin said.

The governor said his administration will look at ways to set up revolving loan funds and grant programs with accountability standards to provide dollars to local areas. He said the services that lawmakers want to provide would be better financed through state agencies.

Michot expressed skepticism.

‘‘Well that’s a great talking point, but you’ve got to look at what’s behind those vetoes and how does that translate it into services in our community, and many of these funds have a greater impact on these communities than a state agency ever does,’’ Michot said.