There is strong support from the public for two of Governor John Bel Edwards main policy issues. Kelley Ray has more…
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Kelley Ray.”
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The House Appropriations Committee is expected to send a proposed spending plan for next fiscal year to the full House today. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
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A Tulane study finds Mississippi River diversions will produce new land, but not at the rate to keep up with the rising sea level. Jeff Palermo has the more…
Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
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Tax day is tomorrow and a survey from offers.com finds most Louisianans wait until the very end to file. Some 53 percent wait until the day before or the final day to file. Offers-dot-com’s Carson Yarbrough says most people don’t want to pay their taxes and some say they would go to extreme measures to avoid doing so…
Cut 4 (10) “paying taxes.”
According to the I-R-S, the average person who qualifies for a refund will get over 31-hundred-dollars. Yarbrough says the Louisiana taxpayers they spoke with will put that money to good use…
Cut 5 (12) “everyday expenses.”
Yarbrough says many taxpayers choose not to do their own taxes…
Cut 6 (12) “squared away.”
Filing date for state income tax returns is May 15.
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An LSU Public Policy Research Lab survey finds a majority of Louisiana residents support two of Governor John Bel Edwards’ major policy issues – criminal justice reform and Medicaid expansion. Of those surveyed, 61-percent say they support the sweeping changes made last year. LSU’s Dr. Mike Henderson says there seems to be support on changing the state’s sentencing laws, because over half of the respondents believe the system is not fair, especially African-Americans…
Cut 7 (07) “this year.”
69-percent of the respondents approve of Medicaid expansion, which took effect in June of 2016. Some 430-thousand Louisiana residents enrolled in the government funded health insurance. Henderson says those polled aren’t concerned about the costs…
Cut 8 (11) “attractive idea.”
Henderson says since the approval ratings are high on these two major policy changes, it could help the governor get re-elected…
Cut 9 (07) “of that.”
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The House Appropriations Committee is expected to approve a budget today for next fiscal year that will contain 648-million dollars in cuts from the current fiscal year. When the budget process started, lawmakers had a nearly billion dollar budget deficit, but an increase in tax collections has led to a much smaller fiscal cliff. Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry says his committee wants to use that newly recognized revenue for TOPS
Cut 10 (10) “of TOPS”
Henry says providing more money for district attorneys is another top priority for the committee. He says they also want to adequately fund the state’s waiver program, which provides assistance for those who are disabled. But the state health department and all state agencies can anticipate a cut in funding
Cut 11 (09) “we are”
Governor Edwards is pushing the legislature to end the regular session early, so a special session can begin in May to approve tax bills that can lead to more revenue and reduce the budget gap. Henry says it’s too early to tell whether the House believes another special session is needed
Cut 12 (08) “is generated”
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State officials have talked about spending billions of dollars on redirecting sediment carried by the Mississippi River to rebuild the state’s vanishing coast. However, a study out of Tulane says the diversions will produce new land, but not fast enough. Lead author of the report Elizabeth Chamberlain
Cut 13 (05) “right now”
Chamberlain says their findings doesn’t mean river diversions shouldn’t be utilized at all, but its important the river diversions are positioned in areas that have the greatest land building potential and
Cut 14 (10) “of marshes”
Chamberlain says Mississippi River is capable of building land, but those in charge of coastal policy and management will have to made difficult choices on where to locate these diversions
Cut 15 (09) “work there”
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The Pelicans are up 1-0 in their best of seven Western Conference playoff series with Portland after beating the Trail Blazers 97-95 on their home floor on Saturday night. New Orleans made life tough on Portland’s top scorer Damien Lilliard, who was just 6-of-23 from the field. Pels Coach Alvin Gentry says his guys bought into the game plan
Cut 16 (13) “I could tell you that”
Anthony Davis had 35 points in his first playoff victory
Cut 17 (15) “ready for Tuesday”
Davis says they are not satisfied with just one win in Portland before the series shifts to New Orleans for games 3 and 4
Cut 18 (17) “first win”
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The 19th ranked LSU Tigers scored six runs in the bottom of the 9th for a stunning 9-7 walk off victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. Daniel Cabrera set off a wild celebration at home plate with a three-run bomb into the right field bleachers..
LSU trailed 7-3 heading into the 9th inning. Two errors helped the Tigers get within one run after an Austin Bain two-run double. Cabrera says he was ready for his big moment…
Cut 20 (07) “this situation”