The Edwards administration unveiled its proposed budget for next fiscal year and it does not fully fund TOPS. The spending plan funds the scholarship program at its current level, which is 70-percent. But Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says if additional revenue is approved in the regular session, it’s the governor’s top priority to fund TOPS at 100-percent.

The Louisiana Budget Project is calling for the governor to double the earned income tax credit, which benefits low income working families. Senior Policy analyst Nick Albares says lower income families currently pay taxes at twice the rate of the wealthiest families…
cut 9 (12) “….make ends meet”
Albares says they are also proposing to broaden the state sales tax and lower the overall rate from five to four percent.

Many students are turning to GoFundMe to pay for college as the cost of tuition is increasing. Emelie Gunn has more…
voicer 2 (28) “…I’m Emelie gunn”

Many Louisiana families are gearing up for a big Mardi Gras weekend. Doctor Nancy Welborn with the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine reminds pet owners that king cakes, jambalaya and fried foods are not pet friendly snacks….
cut 5 (09) “….for us”
Welborn also reminds people to be watch out for animals playing with Mardi Gras beads.

After 10 days of what became some heated debates, the special session ended with lawmakers agreeing to use $99 million from the rainy day fund to address a $304 million midyear deficit. Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s skeptical about $12 million dollars lawmakers say is being saved in attrition for funded vacancies…:
CUT 15 (07) “are not there”
The Department of Health takes the biggest cut at $36 million.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne is unveiling the governor’s budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. It includes keeping TOPS funded at the current level which is about 41% — not fully funded. There would be no funding for state employee merit raises. The plan is also more than $29 billion dollars, a growth of $1.4 billion because of federal funds. Many of this years budget cuts will remain next year.

Now that the special session is over, attention turns to the fiscal session that begins in April. The Louisiana Budget Project has released its tax reform blueprint. Senior Policy Analyst Nick Albares says they’re calling for a reduction in the state sales tax from 5-percent to 4-percent and a broadening of the sales tax base..:
Cut 8 (11) “neighboring states”
Albares says they also want to double the earned income tax credit.

The big Mardi Gras weekend is almost upon us and the LSU Vet school wants pet owners to take certain precautions with their furry friends. Dr. Nancy Welborn says it’s not a good idea to take your pet to a parade, but if it happens to be pet friendly…:
CUT 6 (08) “the area”
She says not to feed dogs and cats king cakes and be mindful of beads that may be left in their reach.

Speaking after the special session ended hours before the deadline, Governor John Bel Edwards said he’s satisfied. Lawmakers approved $99 million in rainy day funds, and made cuts to agencies, mainly the Department of Health. Edwards says some critical services were spared:
CUT 14 (11) “services”

State leaders are now shifting their attention to tax reform in the upcoming regular session…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Baton Rouge Police have made an arrest in the case of a boyfriend who allegedly shot and injured his 41-year-old girlfriend multiple times while she was sitting in a bathtub. Authorities say an infant was in another bedroom at the time of the shooting. Doctors say the woman is now paralyzed from the chest down. 46-year-old Carl Thompson Jr is booked with attempted second degree murder.

The fundraising site GoFundMe has been used for a variety of efforts, including students who are trying to pay for college. Spokesperson Bobby Whithorne says in Louisiana alone, over 1,000 GoFundMe campaigns raised nearly $650,000 in tuition money from nearly 11,000 donations. He says family and friends help out, but so do complete strangers…:
Cut 11 (10) “raising money”
Whithorne advises kids turning to GoFundMe for tuition assistance to just tell your story, and be honest.

The big Powerball jackpot last night ended up being $435 million dollars and it was hit by one ticket, but don’t be too excited when you see the winner was sold in Lafayette – it was Lafayette, Indiana.

The special session ended with lawmakers agreeing to use $99 million from the rainy day fund to address a $304 million shortfall. Halen Doughty reports…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

It’s making national news as “town hall turmoil” and it happened right here in Louisiana. Senator Bill Cassidy held the meeting Wednesday in Metairie and was met by a few hundred angry protesters upset about the current administration’s policies including changes to Affordable Care Act, immigration and equal rights. Cassidy seemed to handle it well considering, never raising his voice and calmly answering questions.

With the rising cost of college tuition, many students are looking towards the internet to find ways to pay for school. GoFundMe Spokesperson Bobby Whithorne says nationally over the last three years, they’ve had over 130-thousand campaigns on their website raise over 60 million dollars for kids in college. He says there’s been an increase in this state, as well…:
Cut 10 (09) “donations”
He says many donations come from friends and family, but complete strangers contribute as well.

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is reminding pet owners to be vigilant about your animal’s physical and emotional well-being when celebrating Mardi Gras. Dr. Nancy Welborn with the school advises parade goers to leave their pets at home because most dogs and cats aren’t used to those situations…:
Cut 4 (08) “a bite”
Welborn also reminds people to be watch out for animals playing with Mardi Gras beads or small parade throws as they can become a choking hazard.

The special session ended with lawmakers agreeing to use $99 million from the rainy day fund to address a $304 million midyear deficit. Governor John Bel Edwards originally wanted to use the full $119 million available to minimize cuts to state agencies….:
Cut 13 (12) “I’ll take that”
Cuts are still coming to state agencies, with the Department of Health taking the biggest hit.

Now that the special session is over, attention turns to the fiscal session that begins in April. The Louisiana Budget Project has released its tax reform blueprint, and Senior Policy Analyst Nick Albares says one of the things they recommend is to eliminate the federal income tax deduction…:
Cut 7 (12) “state priorities”
The regular session will convene at noon on Monday, April 10th.

Many students are turning to GoFundMe to pay for college as the price of tuition is increasing. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

One lucky ticket winner picked up the massive $435 million dollar Powerball jackpot in last night’s drawing. The winning ticket was sold in Indiana.

Baton Rouge Police have made an arrest in the case of a boyfriend who allegedly shot and injured his 41-year-old girlfriend multiple times while she was sitting in a bathtub. Authorities say an infant was in another bedroom at the time of the shooting. Doctors say the woman is now paralyzed from the chest down. 46-year-old Carl Thompson Jr is booked with attempted second degree murder.

The special session is over, and lawmakers agreed to use $99 million from the rainy day fund to close a $304 million midyear budget deficit, which means more cuts are coming to state agencies. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger says the Department of Health, public schools, safety net hospitals, tourism, and the legislature will undergo budget reductions.

The National Retail Federation finds 48-percent of consumers plan to put their tax refunds into savings rather than spend it. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

A study out of Tulane finds 17-hundred public school teachers have left their jobs in Louisiana because of a tougher tenure law that took effect two years ago. That’s a three-percent loss of the state’s teacher workforce. Co-author of the report is Nathan Barrett…

Cut 3 (05) “leaving”

In 2012, the legislature passed a law that made student achievement a major part of the formula to earn tenure.

The Safety Net for Abused Persons for the greater New Iberia area announce they’re closing because of financial struggles. Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Mariah Wineski says they are working on plans for a new permanent facility. She says last year they provided over 90-thousand shelter nights to domestic violence victims around the state, which is why it’s imperative services are available to survivors in these parishes.

Cut 14 (07) “running shortly”

Lawmakers have finally agreed on how many rainy day dollars to use to close a $304 million midyear budget shortfall, and $99 million is the compromise.

Cut 22 (03) “…in good faith”

That’s Senate Finance Chairman Eric LaFleur of Ville Platte, who said earlier on the Senate floor negotiations have gone well.

Republican House leaders have been hesitant to use the rainy day money because of concerns of another shortfall next fiscal year. But House Speaker Taylor Barras is glad they came to an agreement.

Cut 23 (18) “…that is required”

The House agreed to use 99 million rainy day dollars after the Senate approved a bill that frees up money in future budgets by diverting money from areas like TOPS and highway construction.

The special session is coming to a close, but not before lawmakers agree to a variety of cuts. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger explains what services will be impacted.

Cut 24 (19) “…taking a cut”

Leger says higher education and prisons will not face any budget cuts.

As the special session ends, the discussion turns to the fiscal session that begins in April. The Louisiana Budget Project has released its tax reform blueprint. Senior Policy Analyst Nick Albares they’re proposing eliminating the federal income tax deduction and excess itemized deductions. He says they’re calling for a reduction in the state sales tax and broadening its base. Other recommendations include limiting some tax exemptions, including the film tax credit.

A chaotic scene erupted during a town hall meeting in Jefferson Parish hosted by U-S Senator Bill Cassidy. Hundreds of people upset about proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act showed up. Here’s what it sounded like courtesy of WWL-TV….
cut 30 (08) “…your job”

Changes to teacher’s tenure protections has led to more educators leaving the classroom, according to a report from Tulane. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

How are you planning to spend your tax refund? Well according to a new survey from the National Retail Federation, most people, especially millennials, won’t be spending returns, but instead saving. Denham Springs financial planner Matt Kennedy says younger people saw their parents suffer in the 2008 crash and don’t want to risk it…:
CUT 7 (10) “to spending”
The survey says of 66-percent of those getting a refund, only 21-percent plan to spend it on everyday expenses.

Help is still available for domestic abuse survivors in St. Martin and Iberia Parishes even though the domestic violence service provider in that area is closing its shelter and ceasing services. That’s according to the interim director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Mariah Wineski…
cut 12 (10) “be established”
Wineski says they have a statewide hotline that will connect survivors in these parishes to neighboring programs.

A report from Tulane has found that 17-hundred public school teachers have left their profession since the legislature passed a law in 2012 that made it more difficult for educators to achieve tenure. Co-author of the report, Nathan Barrett, says many of the educators that left were close to retirement and teachers who left under-performing schools rose by 27-percent….
cut 4 (12) “….F rated schools”
Student achievement became a major factor in a teacher receiving tenure as part of the 2012 law.

It appears state lawmakers have reached an agreeement on addressing the 304-million dollar budget deficit. The plan is expected to receive legislative approval this afternoon. A major sticking point has been the use of rainy day money to help plug up some of the hole.
A survey from the National Retail Federation finds that 48-percent of consumers who will receive a tax refund plan to put that money towards savings rather spend. The 48-percent is only second to last year’s record high of 49-percent. Denham Springs financial planner Matt Kennedy says consumers are also looking to reduce their debt….
cut 8 (11) “….later”

A domestic violence service provider has closed in the greater New Iberia area. But the Louisiana the Coalition Against Domestic Violence wants victims to know there is assistance avaialble to them. Interim director Mariah Wineski says they call 1-888-4-1-1-13-33….
cut 13 (08) “…housing assistance”
Wineski says they are working closely with stakeholders to get plans in place for a new permanent facility.

We’re still waiting on the state legislature to agree on a budget cut plan. They have until midnight tonight. That’s when the special session ends. The big sticking point is the use of rainy day dollars. The governor and the Senate have agreed on 99-million dollars, but House Republicans believe it should be lower, so more cuts to the budget can be made.

The National Retail Federation finds 48-percent of consumers plan to put their tax refunds into savings rather than spend it. Emelie Gunn has more…
Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

A study done out of Tulane shows 17-hundred public school teachers have left the profession since a new law went into effect in 2012 that makes it more difficult for teachers to obtain tenure. Co-author of the report, Nathan Barrett, says whether or not you agree with tenure protections, it’s something many teachers appreciate…
cut 5 (12) “…atrrition rates”
Barrett says many of the teachers who left, worked at low-performing schools or were close to retirement age.

All-Star Center DeMarcus Cousins had his first practice with his new team today. Cousins has teamed up with the Pelicans Anthony Davis and New Orleans now has one of the top front courts in the league. But Cousins can be a problem child, because of his attitude. Head Coach Alvin Gentry….
cut 11 (08) “…at all”
The Pels host Houston tomorrow night.