Louisiana ‘fiscal cliff’ redux

It’s that time of year when Team Jindal tells us the horror story about the "fiscal cliff."

The leges feign shock at what they hear.

After all, who knew:

 

– One-time money spent this year wouldn’t be available to spend next year.

 

– The feds wouldn’t lessen the state’s Medicaid match.

 

– The 2.75 percent constitutionally-mandated increase for the MFP would still be the law.

 

– Young people would still want TOPs scholarships.

 

– State employees would want a raise.

 

– Cost of utilities, insurance, goods, services, etc., would rise.

 

– A dismal economy would affect revenues to the state.

 

Who could have possibly foreseen the above? Certainly, not the leges who weren’t looking.

The leges will obediently go along with the charade because that is what they have done since Bobby Jindal has been the governor. To do otherwise would require them to actually know what is in the current budget and budget proposal for the next fiscal year. Even worse, it would require the leges to set real spending priorities.

Instead the leges will continue the fiscally-irresponsible practice of using one-time money for recurring expenses, increasing college tuition (taxes by another name) and borrowing money for non-essential capital projects for state and local governments plus various non-governmental entities.

Anyone disagree with the end of the story?