BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — After months of back-room haggling and tightlipped negotiations, the deal to keep the Saints in New Orleans through 2025 moves to public debate in the Louisiana Legislature, and lawmakers’ reactions were mixed Thursday.Gov. Bobby Jindal and Saints owner Tom Benson need approval from lawmakers for $85 million in improvements to the state-owned Louisiana Superdome before the deal the governor and Benson announced in New Orleans can be complete.Legislators said they were pleased to see the direct cash subsidy to the football team shrink to a quarter or less of the current payments.”I think it’s a positive shift away from large cash payments toward investments in infrastructure,” said Rep. Walt Leger III, D-New Orleans.Several lawmakers said the wheels for passage were greased by a chicken plant deal in Farmerville, making an investment in the Saints palatable to north Louisiana lawmakers who are asking legislators to agree to millions in chicken plant spending.But some questioned whether the state should spend $85 million on Superdome upgrades like suites and concession stands to help the Saints bring in more money, while planning state cuts to health and education because of a budget shortfall.”We’re backsliding in favor of a welfare check to a millionaire so he can become a billionaire,” said Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin.Most lawmakers questioned about the deal, however, predicted the spending would get legislative approval.”Not everybody’s going to be thrilled with it, but I think it’s part of the economic engine that fuels the state’s economy,” said Sen. Mike Michot, R-Lafayette, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge, said he still has questions. But he added, “I don’t think any governor or any legislator wants to be tagged as an official who let the Saints go, so to speak, so there is a little pressure there.”The arrangement announced Thursday will limit direct cash subsidies to the Saints at $6 million, down from $23.5 million, and the checks could be even less if the team meets certain income benchmarks.Benson will buy and redevelop a vacant office complex and a vacant former mall next to the Superdome, and the state agreed to 20 years of renting office space from Benson. The state also will help Benson redevelop the mall space.The piece prompting grimaces from legislators involves tapping into $85 million of the state’s $865 million surplus to upgrade the Superdome so the Saints earn more from ticket and concession sales.Rep. Jim Fannin, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said legislators have other ideas for surplus funds, like road repairs and debt payments. But Fannin, D-Jonesboro, said some concerns might be eased because the state will be investing money in its own facility and could earn more from the improvements when other events are held at the dome.Jindal’s recent deal to use $50 million in state money to help keep open a chicken processing plant in Union Parish — which also requires legislative approval — was expected to lessen complaints from north Louisiana lawmakers about the Saints.”Is the chicken plant going to make it easier for me to like this? Probably so,” said Rep. Noble Ellington, D-Winnsboro.——Contact the Daily Reveille’s sports staff at [email protected]