The proposed cuts to public colleges and TOPS has higher education leaders concerned Kevin Barnhart has more on this story.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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Fiscal conservatives are applauding the failure of a sales tax bill in the second special session, while left leaning groups are concerned about proposed cuts. Jeff Palermo has more…
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So what options does the governor have now after a sales tax bill failed to get approval that would replaced over 500-million dollars in expiring taxes? Political consultant Roy Fletcher says the governor may have to accept the House plan, which would set the sales tax rate at 4.3 percent after July 1st…
Both chambers are at odds with each other, as House Republicans do not want to go over a 4.3 percent sales tax rate and the Senate supports a 4.5 percent rate. Fletcher says everyone has to compromise.
Fletcher says the politics of the situation has already done damage to the dysfunctional perception of our government’s competence…
With the fiscal year ending June 30th, we await the governor’s call for a third special session.
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The budget passed by the legislature in the waning moments of the special session has higher education advocates terrified that substantial cuts could be on their way. With no tax bill passed, TOPS will be reduced to 70 percent, and higher ed will be cut by 20 percent. Louisiana Budget Project Executive Director Jan Moller says it’s not just college students who will bear the brunt of the cuts.
Cut 9 (13) “completely unessecary”
A Senate backed tax bill that renewed half of the expiring penny sales tax, and fully funded higher ed, healthcare, and TOPS failed 64-40, coming just six votes short of the two thirds needed for passage. A last ditch effort to try and pass the bill again in the final minutes was filibustered by Representative Alan Seabaugh, leading to an eruption of boos from the chamber.
Moller says Moller says if the revenue can’t be raised in an expected third special session, 500 million dollars of cuts will be distributed across state government…
Fiscal conservatives are applauding the actions by House Republicans who blocked passage of the sales tax bill. Americans for Prosperity State Director John Kay says it’s time to reduce state spending
Another special session is likely to be called in the coming days by Governor Edwards, with the goal of raising enough revenue to plug the 500 million dollar budget gap. Kay says legislators should once again refuse to accept any renewal of the expiring sales taxes.
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Googling “how common is barium poisoning “on your phone might not be a good idea if you plan on poisoning someone. That information is in the warrant for 50-year-old Meshell Hale of Slaughter ,who was arrested and charged with second degree murder in the 2015 poisoning death of a Damian Skipper. Baton Rouge Police Sergeant Don Coppola says the New Orleans homicide detectives assisted in the arrest.
Other google searches documented in the warrant: “How bad does Barium Taste? – truly”, “is barium acetate soluble in alcohol.”, and “heart stopping drugs.”
The report notes that Hale’s husband Arthur Noflin passed away in New Orleans in 2016. Also noted is that Noflin suffered chest pains that led to several trips to the hospital several months after Skipper died. Noflin’s death was under investigation by NOPD. Sgt. Coppola:
The warrant details that Hale purchased 500 grams of barium with a PayPal account linked to her email account, your-secret-007 at yahoo dot com, just a month before Skipper’s death, and purchased 250 grams of barium shortly before Noflin’s death.
The documents say Skipper’s death was initially ruled a heart attack, as the victim had been in and out of the hospital for a week with chest pains. He was not autopsied at the time. Coppola says a new autopsy revealed the presence of barium.
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