An effort to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana failed to pass a Senate committee. The bill would have taken it from $7.25 up to $10.25. The vote was four to one against. Baton Rouge Democrat Senator Regina Barrow says there’s been no minimum wage hike since 2009…:
CUT 13(12) “…decent living.”
Feeling a higher minimum wage means higher consumer prices, the committee rejected the bill. Jim Patterson with LABI says a higher minimum wage also means fewer jobs for low-wage earners…:
CUT 14(10) “…would be.”

The Louisiana House approved a 38-billion dollar spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. It contains funding to give teachers a 15-hundred dollar pay raise. The budget proposal also calls for raises for college professors, state employees and a few health care service providers will see more funds. But Erath Representative Blake Miguez is concerned about a shortfall in the next couple of years when a temporary sales tax expires..
cut 5 (12) “…in the next term”
House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue responds…
cut 6 (11) “…things considered’
Senate Finance will now spend the next few weeks going over the budget.