Bobby Jindal

Jindal pushes savings for new money

Jindal pushes savings for new money
By Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press
May 7, 2008

Two days before an expected boost to the state's income projections, Gov. Bobby Jindal offered his suggestions Wednesday for how the millions of dollars should be used: socked away into savings for now.

That budget maneuver would keep Jindal from asking lawmakers to vote a second time this year to break a cap on state spending and would keep the dollars in the state treasury to spend as surplus on one-time items next year.

"Savings will help us fund our state's priorities and be available for unanticipated needs," Jindal said.

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Jindal said he doesn't want lawmakers to spend all the new dollars that will be recognized Friday during the current legislative session.

Instead, he's asking them to save any new dollars recognized for the current budget year that ends June 30 and let it roll over to next year as a surplus.

For any new dollars forecast for the next fiscal year that begins July 1, the governor wants lawmakers to plug them into next year's budget to replace one-time dollars slated to pay for ongoing programs, a move Jindal said would make the budget more stable. The one-time dollars then taken out of the budget should be saved as well to become surplus cash, Jindal said.

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Jindal said it would be more responsible to hold onto the money to address one-time needs that may arise, including paying the state's share of levee improvements in south Louisiana. The federal government will pick up most of the cost of the levee upgrades but expects Louisiana to pay for a portion of the price tag.

The governor also reiterated a position that he will line-item veto the add-ons lawmakers often insert into the state's budget each year unless they meet certain criteria. Jindal said the only funding he would support for non-governmental organizations would have to show statewide benefit or "substantial regional impact," be discussed during the legislative session, and be the priority of a state agency.

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