A debate broke out at the state capitol over a tax credit that benefits working individuals with low incomes. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala has legislation to do away with the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, which he says will save the state about 50-million dollars a year…
cut 12 (12) “…through revenue increases”
But Democratic state representative Walt Leger says the Earned Income Tax Credit helps the working poor pay for daily life expenses.

Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters says her agency needs 15-million dollars or she’ll be forced to furlough and layoff employess, which would impact adults and children who are in need…
cut 5 (09) “….food stamp program”

South Louisiana law enforcement are searching for fugitives from the Gremlins Criminal Gang and Michelle Southern says their search is receiving attention because of a viral video…
voicer 2 (30) “…reporting”

State Police has charged a St. Mary Parish man with 18 counts of attempted murder of a police officer. 50-year-old Derrick Bodin of Baldwin was taken into custody after extenstive investigation. Authorities say Bodin shot at multiple officers who came to the aid of a shooting victim on December 27th .

The House Ways and Means committee discussed raising taxes on items like cigarettes and alcohol. There’s a proposal to increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes by another 22-cents, after the legislature raised the tobacco tax 50-cents last year. Convenience store owner Fred Hoyt spoke out in opposition…
cut 12 (05) “…again please”
But state representative Walt Leger of New Orleans supports a higher cigarette tax…
cut 14 (05) “…the product”
The panel ended its day by talking about raising taxes on beer, wine and alcohol to the southern regional average. Breaux Bridge representative Mike Huval expressed concerns, because it would hurt the state’s growing craft beer industry
cut 16 (10) “…upcoming business”
The panel did not vote on any of these measures that will occur in the near future.

A Metairie Senator has written a letter to Higher Education Commissioner Joseph Rallo to create a plan of organization reform. Emelie Gunn has more…
voicer 2 (31) “…reporting”

And here’s the quote of the day. It comes from Winnsboro Representative Steve Pylant, who expressed skepticism over the threat there will be no LSU football next fall, if college campuses close this spring because of a lack of funding…
cut 27 (06) “…this fall”

Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy is the front-runner in the race to replace outgoing US Senator David Vitter, according to a new poll. Halen Doughty reports…

CUT 1 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A Metairie Senator has written a letter to Higher Education Commissioner Joseph Rallo to create a plan of organization reform. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The first independent poll on the 2016 US Senate race has Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy as the favorite. In the Southern Media and Opinion Research Survey of 500 likely Louisiana voters, Kennedy received 22% of the vote that’s 12% more than Republicans Charles Boustany and Scott Angelle. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says Kennedy’s reputation is boosting his campaign.

CUT 3 (05)  “so well”

Republicans John Young, Rob Maness, and John Fleming each have less than 8% of voters’ support. At this time, only Fleming and Maness have announced they are running. But so far Pinsonat says Kennedy is the favorite to make the run-off.

CUT 4 (06)  “with him”

Pinsonat says if four or five Republicans who are well-financed run for Senate, it could guarantee a Democrat being in the runoff. Democrats Foster Campbell and Caroline Fayard have support from 7% and 4% of voters respectively. Fayard is in the race, while Campbell is still thinking about it. He says a loaded ballot will hurt candidates with low-name recognition…

CUT 5 (07)  “to many choices”

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Louisiana Tech University has announced plans to demolish Wyly Tower and Prescott Memorial Library, but LA Tech spokesperson Dave Guerin says this demolition will not happen any time soon. Guerin says for the time being, Wyly Tower is still open.

CUT 6 (08) “24 months”

Guerin says Wyly Tower and Prescott Memorial Library will be replaced with new up to date facilities for students.

CUT 7 (09) “university center”

The new university center will offer an information commons and a research and collaboration center. Guerin says the university will have to wait to see how the state’s budget crisis is resolved before moving forward.

CUT 8 (08) “this project”

Guerin says it will be more cost effective to replace Wyly Tower than to renovate it due to the tower’s infrastructural issues, including problems with the elevators, stairwells, fire alarms, windows, and mechanical control systems.

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Metairie Senator Conrad Appel has written a letter to Higher Education Commissioner Joseph Rallo calling on the Board of Regents to construct a plan for organization reform.  Appel says it’s clear we have grossly underfunded higher education but there is no prospect of that changing in years to come. He says additional money isn’t going to fall from the sky…

CUT 9 (09)  “the future”

Appel says redesigning the system doesn’t necessarily mean the closing of campuses but all options should be on the table.

cut 10 (10)  “that’s wrong”

Appel says funding for higher education in Louisiana is pretty much stagnant as far as we can see in the future. He says it’s the duty of the Board of Regents to plan the big picture strategy and decide what actions need to be taken.

Cut 11 (08) “not realistic”

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The House Ways and Means Committee began hearing various tax bills today that would raise revenue to close a massive budget deficit. One of the measures would increase the state sales tax on a pack of cigarettes by 22-cents to $1.08 per pack. Fred Hoyt, a convenience store owner, spoke in opposition. He says adult tobacco users already pay their fair share of taxes and the tax was raised 50-cents last year.

cut 12 (05) “again please”

Bill Shepherd, owner of Churchpoint Wholesale, is also against raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes. He says raising this tax will negatively impact tobacco retailers across the state. Shepherd says if this bill passes Louisiana smokers could save 73-cents per pack by purchasing cigarettes across the state line in Mississippi, which is $266 annually for the average smoke. Louisiana would then collect less revenue.

cut 13 (10)  “the internet”

New Orleans Representative Walt Leger is authoring one of the bills seeking to raise the cigarette tax.  Leger says the higher price for cigarettes will discourage people from smoking.

cut 14 (05)  “the product”

Leger says that the 50-cent increase on a pack of cigarettes last year was not enough. He says the increased tax would still keep Louisiana in the lower 50% in the nation.

cut 15 (12)  “other states”

The committee is waiting to hear on all the proposed taxes before deciding which ones to approve.

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It’s day three of the special session aimed at trying to resolve the state’s 850 to 950-million dollar shortfall for this fiscal year. Halen Doughty has an update…
voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

A proposal to use 128-million dollars in rainy day funds to fill the massive budget hole for this fiscal year was approved by the Senate finance committee. The panel also decided to redirect 200-million dollars in Gulf oil spill recovery money. Both bills head to the full senate for more discussion.

The House appropriations committee heard testimony today about the impact of proposed cuts to health care. Covington Representative John Schroeder was upset to hear about plans to close a pediatric health care program that helps several disabled children…
cut 30 (14) “…done our job”
Chief financial officer for DHH, Jeff Reynolds, says costs have escalated because the program has been abused by health care providers.

An independent poll from Southern Media and Opinion Research puts Governor John Bel Edwards approval rating at 42-percent. 25-percent disapprove of the governor’s first month in office, while 34-percent are undecided. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat…
cut 7 (12) “….difficult time”

It’s day three of the special session aimed at trying to resolve the state’s $957 million shortfall for the fiscal year that ends June 30^th. Halen Doughty has an update…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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One month into office and Governor John Bel Edwards approval rating is  below 50-percent. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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It’s day three of the special session that’s attempting to resolve the state’s $957 million deficit. Barry Erwin, Head of the Council for a Better Louisiana, says legislators will be looking for both short-term and long-term solutions. Erwin says he is unsure if lawmakers will be able to completely fix the budget problems in only three weeks.

CUT 3 (05)  “of time”

Erwin says this session may only provide short-term solutions for this fiscal year, which ends June 30. He says legislators know that some money will be coming in from BP and the rainy day fund, but it may not be enough. Erwin says the budget has been in trouble for several years and lawmakers should have addressed it sooner.

CUT 4 (08)  “started happening”

Erwin says lawmakers will make cuts to the budget in addition to generating new revenues. He says some revenue raising measures they are considering will not provide immediate solutions.

CUT 5 (07)  “years ago”

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A new poll gives Governor John Bel Edwards an approval rating of 42-percent. The survey was conducted by Southern Media and Opinion Research. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says he hasn’t seen an approval rating that low for a new governor, since Edwin Edwards last term which started in 1992…

CUT 6 (06) “50s or 60s”

The survey was conducted earlier this month and paid for by subscribers. Pinsonat says 25-percent respondents disapprove of Edwards performance so far, while 34-percent are undecided

CUT 7 (12) “difficult time”

Pinsonat says to make matters worse for Governor Edwards, the statewide elected official with the highest approval rating is Treasurer John Kennedy, who is arguing against the tax increases that the governor is pushing for…

CUT 8 (10) “reduce spending”

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Former Saints safety Darren Sharper has received a new plea hearing set for Thursday, as he faces charges where he allegedly drugged and raped multiple women. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the original agreement Sharper accepted isn’t likely to be accepted by the two female Louisiana judges he’s in front of now, US District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo and state District Judge Karen Herman.

CUT 9 (11)  “longer sentence”

The new trial date is set for May 16^th. Meche says Sharper’s attorneys believed the Louisiana judges would go along with the nine year prison deal. He says they didn’t realize who they were up against…

cut 10 (08)  “jurisdiction”

Meche says Sharper could possibly plead guilty without a guaranteed sentence that he was hoping to get or go to trial. He says things could get far worse for Sharper.

Cut 11 (09) “behavior”

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A reward is now being offered for information about whomever stole a birdhouse from a residence in Lafourche Parish. Sergeant Brennan Matherne says they have surveillance video which shows an unknown female exit a vehicle from the passenger’s side, walk onto the victim’s property and remove the birdhouse. He says this may not seem like a big deal…:

cut 12 (10) “stole something”

The alleged incident took place the morning of February 8th in Gray. Matherne says regardless of the severity of the crime, they hope this shows the public that anytime anything is stolen from your property, you should let authorities know about it…:

cut 13 (08)  “involved in”

The victim described the birdhouse as having a bronze colored “church-style” design with a decorative metal roof and white post. He says if you know something about this incident, please contact authorities…:

cut 14 (10)  “Bayou Region”

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