Louisiana

Ascension Parish, La., may ask voters in November to approve an increase in the parish sales tax to support $80 million of revenue bonds for road projects.

DALLAS — Louisiana Treasurer John N. Kennedy criticized Gov. Bobby Jindal Tuesday for using scare tactics in a dispute over the House’s refusal to appropriate non-recurring revenues in the fiscal 2013 budget.

A bill authorizing $325 million of revenue bonds to upgrade Louisiana’s rural roads was sent to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week without receiving a single negative vote as it passed through the Legislature.

DALLAS — Top Louisiana officials said Monday that higher education and public health would be devastated by fiscal 2013 spending cuts mandated by a budget passed late last week by the House.

DALLAS — Debate on Louisiana's budget for fiscal 2013 hit an impasse Thursday as conservative Republicans objected to fellow GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal's plan to use $268 million of one-time revenue to balance the $25 billion spending plan.

The St. Bernard Parish, La., School Board will receive a final payment of $148.3 million for rebuilding efforts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Louisiana saved more than $100 million in debt service costs with last week’s $803 million refunding of gasoline and fuels tax revenue bonds, said state Treasurer John Kennedy.

DALLAS — The Louisiana House Appropriations Committee late Tuesday passed a $25 billion budget for fiscal 2013, but had to balance the spending with $340 million of one-time money and cuts to services.

Trustees of the French Quarter Management District voted last week to oppose a legislative effort to establish a hospitality district encompassing the New Orleans neighborhood with the authority to issue bonds and create sub-districts for projects funded with tax-increment financing.

DALLAS — Louisiana spent $72 million over 14 years on a failed syrup mill while receiving only scant returns from its investment, including $45 million of revenue bonds issued in 2004 by the Louisiana Agricultural Finance Authority.

The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District is asking Louisiana lawmakers for $60 million of capital construction funding over two years for upgrades required under a new agreement between the state and the New Orleans Hornets basketball team.

Louisiana State University supervisors will consider a request Friday for $100 million of revenue bonds to add seats at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.

DALLAS — A revised revenue outlook will require Louisiana to cut spending by $210.5 million through June and reduces the money available for lawmakers to appropriate in fiscal 2013 by almost $304 million.

The Louisiana Senate Retirement Committee adopted two key components of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s pension reform plan Monday despite objections from opponents who said some aspects of the measures were unconstitutional.

A bill proposed by Louisiana Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, would allow an ailing member of the Revenue Estimating Conference to designate an interim stand-in, and avoid a potential delay in revenue estimates needed to develop the state budget.

Preliminary, unaudited figures indicate New Orleans balanced its budget in 2011, according to chief administrative officer Andy Kopplin.

A proposal to issue $325 million of revenue bonds to upgrade and repair state rural roads was approved by the Louisiana House Tuesday without a dissenting vote.

DALLAS — The Louisiana State Bond Commission approved expanded parameters for a planned refunding of gas and fuels-tax bonds to a maximum of $850 million from the $400 million approved two weeks ago.

The Lafayette Metropolitan Expressway Commission will study whether tolls on a six-mile stretch of Interstate 49 will support construction of the portion of the highway in Lafayette.

Completing Interstate 49 through a public-private partnership is one of the five state goals that were outlined last week by Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy.