Governor Edwards will reportedly meet with business leaders today to discuss ideas on how to address a one-point-three billion dollar budget deficit that the state faces, because a bunch of temporary taxes expire next July. Publisher of la-politics-dot-com, Jeremy Alford, says raising income or business taxes maybe difficult, so they may look towards the sales tax…
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One penny of the state’s five-cent sales tax is set to sunset next year, but it could be kept on the books.

LSU System President F King Alexander announces faculty and staff will recieve a pay hike that will average three-percent. It’s the first raise in several years for LSU employees. Senate Faculy President Kevin Cope says other states provide pay hikes regularly to avoid attrition…
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The raises take effect September 1st.

Thousands of homes were destroyed last August as a result of massive flooding in south Louisiana. U-S Representative Garret Graves says he’s pushing for better flood control projects, like the proposed Comite River Diversion Canal in the Baton Rouge area. Graves says elevating homes is only somewhat beneficial….
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Graves is also hopeful Congress will approve an improved flood insurance program next month.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has started a series of roundtable discussions with rural convention and visitor bureaus’ to improve tourism in those areas. Nungesser says they need to find a way to get those visitors out of the big cities and into other parts of the state. He says they also hope more Louisianans will choose to vacation in their home state.
Cut 9 (09) “haven’t seen”