With ethics done, surplus on agenda

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Mar 5, 2008 - Page: 1A

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Gov. Bobby Jindal wants to spend half of a $1.1 billion state government surplus on road, bridge and port projects.

The agenda that Jindal released Tuesday for an upcoming special session largely focuses on tax breaks and the surplus from the state government spending year that ended June 30.

Most of the tax breaks Jindal is proposing for the session that starts Sunday would benefit businesses.

However, the governor also is pushing a 50 percent tax deduction for up to $5,000 in private school tuition parents pay per child. The deduction would cost the state about $20 million in the first year.

“It’s an aggressive agenda,” Jindal said. “This is an important second special session.”

At least two Baton Rouge projects would benefit from the governor’s surplus spending proposal.

The Interstate 12 corridor between Baton Rouge and Walker would be expanded to six lanes.

Pennington Biomedical Research Center would receive $50 million for a new clinical research building, an imaging center, equipment and faculty recruitment.

The president of one of the largest teacher unions in the state expressed disappointment in the governor’s proposed private school tuition tax break.

Steve Monaghan, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, said there still are inequities in how public school districts are funded.

“(It’s) sending the message that the focus in this state is now shifting to private and parochial schools,” he said.

Jindal’s predecessor, Gov. Kathleen Blanco, vetoed a similar proposal last year.

Jindal is calling legislators to the State Capitol for the second time in 30 days.