The public was taking its turn Friday to ask Louisiana’s senators for money in next year’s budget.
By mid-morning, nearly all the requests lodged with the Senate Finance Committee were for reversal of planned cuts to health care services and health spending.
People in wheelchairs, business executives and more packed the committee room, spilling into the hall as they awaited their turn to make a pitch.
Lawmakers say they are sympathetic to the requests. But giving money to one cause means cutting another — or finding a new source of funding that has yet to be tapped. And many of the ideas for new funding are opposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal.
The 2009-10 budget has deep cuts to cope with an expected $1.3 billion drop in state general fund money.—-Contact The Daily Reveille news staff at [email protected]