6:30 A.M. 02/19/2017 LRN

State lawmakers return to the capital today to begin a special session to fix the fiscal cliff. Matt Doyle has more from a capital observer.

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Governor Edwards and state lawmakers are in Baton Rouge for the special session to find a solution to the looming fiscal cliff that threatens to gut popular programs like TOPS. The governor is seeking tax reform, and Republicans want spending reductions. Erath Representative Blake Miguez says the GOP caucus is demanding the creation of the Louisiana Checkbook.

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He says the program would increase transparency, and would closely resembles Ohio’s Ohiocheckbook.com
Many Americans are swimming in debt and getting in deeper than ever. One report suggests total household debt has risen to 13-trillion-dollars for 2017. Louisiana appears to be America’s capital of past due debt, with almost half of its residents in debt that has gone into collections. Professor of Economics at Xavier University of Louisiana Dr. Jose Bautista says a lot of workers aren’t making enough money…

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Another reason credit debt is so high is the lack of a savings account