Governor Edwards’ budget proposal does not call for a teacher pay raise, angering many teachers who say he’s breaking a reelection campaign promise…
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Senator Jay Luneau introduces legislation aimed at ending the car insurance “widow tax”. Brooke Thorington spoke with the Alexandria Democrat…
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”
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The Edwards administration’s attempt to use $25 million in unclaimed property for the state general fund is not sitting well with State Treasurer John Schroder. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.
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The Governor’s July 1st budget proposal calls for a 128 million dollar increase in general fund spending, but does not include a teacher pay raise, angering unions who backed his reelection.
Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says school districts will be given funds they can use to give raises, but Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey says it’s not the same…
Louisiana teachers received a 1,000 dollar pay raise in the last session, but still, have average pay below the southern regional average.
The Governor called for a 25 million dollar increase in early childhood education spending and 39 million in increased public school funding. Posey says the budget does not reflect the state’s dire education funding needs.
The 1,000 dollar raise for teachers and a 500 dollar raise for support personnel last year made up the bulk of the 140 million dollar increase in annual school spending.
Governor Edwards campaigned on pushing for further teacher pay raises, and Posey says failing to follow through in the first session of his new term is concerning…
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Holden Matthews, the man accused of torching three St. Landry churches last spring, will have a plea-change hearing today in Lafayette. Matthews had originally given a plea of not guilty. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the judge will hold the hearing to make sure that the suspect is changing his plea voluntarily.
Cut 7 (10) “…really is guilty.”
Meche says if the judge accepts the guilty plea, a sentencing date will be set for some time in the next 2 to 3 months.
Matthews is also facing state charges, but Meche says Matthews may never go to trial on those based on what happens with the federal charges.
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TORT reform may suck up a lot of air in the car insurance premium debate at the Capitol but one Senator has a few bills he says are small, common-sense fixes to lower rates.
Alexandria Democrat Jay Luneau’s first bill would prevent insurance companies from charging you more for your insurance just because you have a lower credit rating…
Real Reform Louisiana claims a person with a DWI and a high credit rating pays less for insurance than a person with a clean record but low credit score.
Luneau says most insurers in Louisiana also raise rates on people who are widowed. His second bill would end that practice.
His third bill deals with incidents where Louisianans in the military are deployed overseas, don’t renew their insurance for six months and are hit with a premium increase. Luneau says that’s wrong.
His fourth bill would block insurers from charging someone a higher premium on the basis of their sex alone, once they are older than 25.
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State Treasurer John Schroder is facing a lawsuit from Governor Edwards after refusing to turn over unclaimed property money so it can be used as part of the state general fund. Schroder says it is a bad policy that he believes is unlawful.
Cut 13 (09) “…state general fund.”
Edwards released a statement that the Unclaimed Property Fund hit a balance of more than $78-million, leaving a healthy balance of funds for Schroder to distribute funds. But Schroder says the department was short $20 million last fiscal year in paying 82,000 claims because of previous dips into unclaimed property money.
Schroder recommends putting the $22-to-25 million a year into a savings account, investing it the same way the state invests its trust fund money, and then letting the state spend from the interest. Schroder says the calculations have been done.
Cut 15 (08) “…that they want.”
Edwards says that the law is clear, excess revenues in the Unclaimed Property Fund are to benefit the public and that the public does not profit by the Treasurer simpily seeking to grow the size of his government bank account.
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LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri has named his starting pitchers for the opening weekend. Cole Henry will start the season opener on Friday against Indiana, Landon Marceaux will start Saturday and AJ Labas will toe the rubber on Sunday. Mainieri on why Marceaux will get the ball on game two…
Mainieri says he’ll tinker with his lineup in the field during the nonconfernece, but he’s hoping to see big seasons out of a group of sophomores…
Marceaux says he’s ready to pitch against another team. He says the vibe around the Tigers during the pre-season has been good