Governor John Bel Edwards expressed his frustration with the legislature today over a lack of activity on the house floor involving tax increasing bills he says are necessary to close a 940-million dollar budget shortfall. Edwards says time is running out on this special session that was called to address the state’s fiscal crisis…
CUT 7 (10) “somewhat catastrophic”
But the House is not going along with the governor’s wishes for higher taxes. A bill to increase the state’s alcohol tax failed to get the 70 votes needed for approval.
The major candidates running for US Senate in Louisiana in 2016 will appear tomorrow at the annual police jury association meeting in Shreveport. Political Analyst Elliot Stonecipher says eight months before the primary, Republican John Kennedy is the frontrunner.
A University of New Orleans survey shows billionaire businessman Donald Trump as the favorite to win Louisiana’s presidential primary. 38-percent of respondents chose Trump, 26-percent support Ted Cruz and 11-percent favor Marco Rubio. UNO Pollster Edwards Chervenak says there is no gender gap in Trump’s supporters, but his support is stronger among middle-aged voters. He says Trump’s views on fiscal issues is winning him support in Louisiana.
Meanwhile in the Democratic primary, former-president Bill Clinton made two campaign stops in Louisiana on behalf of his wife Hillary Clinton. Mr. Clinton says his wife has a history of standing up for Louisianans.