Plans to spend $783 million in state surplus cash on road work, hurricane protection, a new deal with the New Orleans Saints and legislative pet projects received quick passage Monday from a House committee.
Before approving the measure without objection, the House Appropriations Committee added $30 million in surplus spending with little discussion of the new projects, which included money for the Bayou Segnette Festival Park in Jefferson Parish, the Audubon Park Commission and the Lafayette Regional Airport.
The surplus spending is included in a measure that outlines a multiyear, $5 billion list of state construction projects, called the “capital outlay” bill.
Lawmakers presenting the bill didn’t explain it contained plans for spending the state’s 2007-08 surplus dollars until questioned by Rep. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans.
“Where is all this cash coming from?” Peterson asked.
“It’s surplus,” replied Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, chairman of the committee.
The bill moves next to the full House for debate.
The state has an $865 million surplus, which by constitutional mandate can only be spent on one-time items like debt payments and construction projects. A slice must go into the state’s “rainy day” fund, leaving $798 million for spending.
The plans for those dollars include $300 million for coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects, $246 million for road and bridge work, $98 million for college construction, $24 million for port projects and $7.5 million for state emergency sheltering.
One of the most high-profile plans would use $85 million from the surplus for improvements to the Louisiana Superdome as part of a Jindal administration deal that will keep the Saints in New Orleans through 2025. The money would be used to add suites, widen the concourses and make other improvements designed to generate additional money for the team.
Though the Saints deal has prompted some criticism, no one spoke about it during Monday’s committee hearing.
Fannin said about $15 million in surplus cash wasn’t included in the capital outlay bill. Those dollars, he said, would be included in a separate bill and would be used to pay down debt in the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain had asked for $58 million for debt payment tied to construction projects and equipment purchases left by his predecessor, Bob Odom. Those projects include a sugar syrup mill in southwest Louisiana, an office complex in Woodworth, firefighting equipment and tractors and a remodeling of the department’s main office in Baton Rouge.—-Contact The Daily Reveille news staff at [email protected]