PAR urges lawmakers not to make hasty cuts
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A government policy research group urged the Legislature on Tuesday to avoid making “hasty and ill-planned budget cuts” to higher education.
The Public Affairs Research Council said the House’s opposition to revenue-generating proposals should be reversed.
The state is facing a $1.3 billion drop in revenue in the budget year that starts July 1. Gov. Bobby Jindal proposed deep cuts to health care and higher education to address the shortfall, which is expected to last for several years.
The state Senate suggested taking money from the state’s “rainy day” fund and delaying a tax break to generate money for higher education and other state government services.
Lawmakers in the House — and the governor — are opposed to the ideas. Instead, the House wants to take $50 million from a proposed tax amnesty program and use that money for higher education.
The governor said he plans to veto the Senate’s proposals from House Bill 1, the $28 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposals also are in separate pieces of legislation that appear destined to die in the House.
The session ends June 25.
PAR said there still is time to agree on a plan to buy higher education time to make changes.
The group said the state’s public colleges and universities need to decide:
- Which degree programs are essential.
- Which programs are duplicated.
- Which services can be privatized.
- How students and faculty can be eased through the changes.
Resizing the state’s higher education system requires a studied approach, PAR said.
“Lacking a clear strategy, drastic budget cuts could deter potential students and faculty,” PAR said.
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