Louisiana has another significant budget surplus, this time 300 million dollars, good for 10 percent of the total size of the budget that was passed. Legislative Fiscal Office Chief Economist Greg Albrecht says the state is generating a lot more revenue thanks to federal changes in the tax code that have reduced the size of state tax returns, and the steady elimination of a series of corporate income tax deductions over the past four years, which increased state revenue.
That makes three years in a row the state has run a surplus.
Medical marijuana will be available at nine pharmacies statewide starting Tuesday for folks who have prescriptions for a set of diseases that have been authorized by the Legislature. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says even if you have an OK’d disease, you can only get those prescriptions from physicians who have been approved by the Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners.
Governor Edwards and Congressman Ralph Abraham painted two very different pictures of the current status of state at the Louisiana Municipal Association convention in Monroe. Edwards touted his hard work in pulling the state out of its largest budget deficit and an economy that was deep in the ditch.
Cut 10 (09) “…to a better path.”
But Abraham says the state can do a lot more, and still lags behind the rest of the country when it comes to economic growth.
Cut 12 (10) “…better than that.”
The third man currently on the ballot in the Governor’s race, Eddie Rispone, was absent from the event.
ESPN is reporting that the Pelicans will play on Christmas Day. New Orleans will travel to Denver as the league looks to feature Zion Williamson on what is a big day for the Association. It’s also been reported that Anthony Davis will make his first return trip to the Big Easy on November 27.