Our new governor is suddenly achieving some accomplishments. After several months in which a stalemate threatened, he finally got a compromise on the budget and taxes that gave us hope for the future.
Now he can focus on securing planned policy goals of which especially includes teacher pay raises. The Democratic governor got approval from the Republican-controlled legislature renewing 44.5 percent of a temporary one-cent sales tax that was scheduled to expire on June 30.
This averted serious cuts for the TOPS scholarship program in addition to food stamps for the poor, aid to district attorneys’ offices and money for sheriffs to house state prisoners in local jails. The governor said with a smile that he celebrated by joining legislators and other visitors including lobbyists by having a couple of beers and a cigar at the Beer Industry League’s office, a popular after-hours hangout for political insiders in downtown Baton Rouge.
John bel Edwards is now enjoying a week’s vacation in Maine with his wife Donna and their three children just to experience what one cannot usually experience in south Louisiana. He is next expected to visit Denver where he will speak at the annual meeting of the American Association for Justice whose members include trial lawyers. Edwards served on the association’s board in Louisiana.
Other plans in the governor’s future include travelling the state to inaugurate construction work on new roadways, college campuses and parks and bridges, all of which is reported a time-honored practice of governors.
On August 29, he will participate in the ribbon-cutting of the new Delgado Community College-River City Campus in Westwego, which will provide more classrooms and course offerings for adults who see post-secondary education as the path to a better job.
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