This week lawmakers will begin public hearings on how to deal with the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Eric Gill reports…
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”
______________________________________
The chairwoman of the Louisiana House Transportation Committee proposes a one cent sales tax that could generate $7 billion dollars over the next decade to help fund roads and bridges. Michelle Southern reports..:
Cut 2 (30) “reporting”
______________________________________
It’s the five year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, which sent millions of barrels of oil into the gulf. Scott Carwile reports one LSU researcher says the Gulf has had a remarkable recovery
Cut 3 (29) “reporting”
______________________________________
This week lawmakers will begin public hearings on how to deal with the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Legislation that would raise more revenue will get their first hearing today in the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee. Governor Bobby Jindal says dealing with this deficit will be complicated, but feels conversations so far have been very positive…
cut 4 (09) “and health care”
The House Ways and Means Committee will begin hearing tax bills tomorrow. One proposed tax to generate more revenue that has received a lot of talk would raise the cigarette tax in Louisiana to the national average. Jindal says he remains opposed to raising taxes, but recognizes that the state tax code is not written in stone…
Cut 5 (09) “different combinations”
Jindal says he would support raising taxes in one area as long as there are tax cuts to offset the increase. He says the state could raise over half a billion dollars by taking away refunds given to businesses for 12 different taxes. Jindal says it would be wrong to protect these tax credits and then make deeper cuts to higher ed and health care…
Cut 6 (10) “and health care”
______________________________________
The chairwoman of the Louisiana House Transportation Committee proposes a one cent sales tax that could generate $7 billion dollars over the next decade to help fund roads and bridges. Pierre Part Representative Karen St. Germain says the state needs to free up money needed for preservation and maintenance because we need to take care of what we have…:
CUT 7 (11) “isn’t quite there yet”
St. Germain also has a bill that would increase the state tax on gasoline based on the price at the pump to help offset depletion of revenues that are supposed to be dedicated to improving highway capacity and infrastructure. She says the $12 billion dollar backlog of construction and capacity projects all over the state is not a DOTD problem…:
Cut 8 (05) “and those things”
St. Germain says the state is facing serious problems and current revenue sources will never provide enough funding to keep up with needed highway construction much less address future needs. She says there are many important issues being discussed this session and this should be one of them…:
Cut 9 (06) “to get there”
______________________________________
The USDA says honey production in the United States was up 19 percent from 2013 to 2014 and continues to climb. A study indicates there were 2.74 million colonies producing honey in 2014, up 4 percent from the prior year. Thomas Rinderer is the head of the USDA’s Baton Rouge Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research…:
Cut 10 (11) “their bees”
Rinderer says this is a good sign as there was a long period of time honeybee colonies were on the decline. He says in the last 20 years the number of commercially kept colonies is down by about half but that has a lot to do with the economy of keeping bees…:
cut 11 (10) “stay in business”
Rinderer says honeybees are essential to food production throughout the world. He says most of what we eat is dependent upon pollination by inspects, primarily bees…:
cut 12 (11) “salt of agriculture”
______________________________________
Today marks the five year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon spill, which is considered America’s worst environment disaster ever. An estimated three to four million barrels of oil spewed into the Gulf for 87 days after the Deepwater Horizon explosion. But LSU department of environmental sciences professor Ed Overton is impressed with how well the Gulf has bounced back..
Cut 13 (10) “unbelieveable”
Overton says we’re lucky the oil that discharged from the damaged well was highly degradable and the gulf is well acclimated to degrade oil….
Cut 14 (09) “the oil”
Overton also says it doesn’t look there’s been a lasting impact with the shrimp and crab populations. But scientists have recorded an increase in deaths for dolphins and sea turtles, but Overton says the higher morality rate for dolphins began before the spill and he doesn’t think the spill will wipe out the sea turtle population
Cut 15 (10) “build back”
______________________________________
LSU quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris combined to throw for 420 yards and four touchdowns in Saturday’s spring game. Harris threw for 178 yards and two scores, Jennings had 242 passing and two TDs. Coach Les Miles likes how the two developed over the spring, but they still need to get more consistent…
Cut 16 (15) “are improved”
LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron likes the direction the offense is heading…
Cut 17 (15) “good running backs”
Who will be LSU’s starting quarterback is still a mystery at this point and Miles says both players can still get much better
Cut 18 (14) ” could be”‘
______________________________________
Louisiana Tech also completed spring practice on Saturday and three quarterbacks for the Bulldogs threw touchdown passes. Jeff Driskel threw for 269 yards and four touchdowns, Ryan Higgins had 214 passing yards and one TD and Price Wilson threw for 181 yards and a TD. Coach Skip Holtz says all three of them showed they are capable…
Cut 19 (16) “that stadium “
On defense, former West Monroe standout Michael Mims had an excellent game as he racked up nine tackles. Holtz has been impressed with Mims, who has made the move from safety to outside linebacker…
Cut 20 (20) “on the field”