One month into office and Governor John Bel Edwards approval rating is below 50-percent. Jeff Palermo has the story…
A Natchitoches man has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the state’s nearly $1 billion budget deficit. Eric Boleyn’s online donation page reads “Help Louisiana, Need $900 million.” The description explains that any donations will be put towards the crippling budget deficit the state is facing. The page has been shared by thousands of people and has brought in a total of $40 in the past four days.
Today is the third day of the special session that’s attempting to resolve the state’s $957 million deficit for this fiscal year. Barry Erwin, Head of the Council for a Better Louisiana, says lawmakers will make cuts to the budget in addition to generating new revenues. He says some revenue raising measures they are considering will not provide immediate solutions.
Erwin says legislators will be looking for both short-term and long-term solutions.
Former Saints safety Darren Sharper is facing charges for allegedly drugging and raping multiple women. Sharper has received a new plea hearing set for Thursday. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Sharper could possibly plead guilty without the guaranteed sentence he was hoping to get, or he could go to trial. Meche says things could get far worse for Sharper.
Sharper’s new trial date is set for May 16th.