With the State of Louisiana in the bowels of what the legislative chief economist has dubbed a recession, sporting a severe budget problem for this current fiscal year and for the one starting July 1, 2016, questions have been raised about the credibility of the Governor Jon Bell Edwards and the veracities of those criticizing him. Among his critics are Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy and the Republican legislative delegation.
On Sunday, the governor-faced the joint-session of the legislature to open a special session which he called to deal with these horrid fiscal problems. He urged that all sides work together. However, according to the State treasurer Kennedy, and some of his Republican legislators, Edwards has not provided the necessary legislative tools to be able to reduce this whopping budget deficit. The governor’s opponents have likewise been insisting that Edwards has been too focused upon raising taxes.
On Monday, University of New Orleans political science professor, Ed Chervenak and Bayoubuzz publisher Stephen Sabludowsky discussed these issues regarding the opening of the special session.
Among the observations Chervenak made are the following:
1. Treasurer Kennedy, who is running for US Senate, gave a misleading speech last week when he addressed the State in the republican response to the governor;
2. There is not much that the Louisianna legislature can safely cut;
3. Despite claims to the contrary, Governor Edwards has issued a broad legislative call which would allow the legislature to make the necessary cuts as demanded by the Republican-dominated legislature;
4. The Louisiana local political environment is becoming more like that of Washington DC.
