Chaisson sets stage for fiscal session

St. Charles’ own Sen. Joel Chaisson, who is also the Louisiana Senate President, put it right when he tried to set the legislative session starting this week on the right course.

“I think it has to do less with being an election year than it does with our budget problems,” he said. “Members realize that needs to be the focus.”

Such a statement was very appropriate in view of the politics ahead while Louisiana is facing a serious budget problem. This is certainly no time for politics to take control of the scene when the future operation of our state is at stake.

It’s a fiscal session which is supposed to be devoted mainly to taxes and how the state will pay its bills in the future. But each legislator is allowed to introduce up to five general-interest bills which could lead to a lot of time spent trying to pass legislation that will impress  voters in other ways.

Hopefully they’ll be dedicated to concentrating mostly on fiscal issues and settle them in a way that will solve our present problems satisfactorily and lay ground for smooth travel along the financial path in the future.

As our representatives and senators proceed, we hope they will heed the advice of the Senate President and put politics aside until the two-month session is over and campaign time comes around.