[StBernard] Protecting Higher Education and Health Care

[Westley Annis]

Dear Friends - 

On Monday, we went to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where we
joined students and higher education and health care leaders to announce
three initiatives we will be pursuing in the upcoming legislative session to
provide more budget flexibility and help protect higher education and
healthcare funding during times of budget deficits.  We must transform state
government to become more efficient and sustainable while protecting
critical services-which means we must free up dedicated funds that have been
locked away for years. 

As I told the Baton Rouge Advocate
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c7518%7c9390&digest=0u
w2mQI7QvbdMxgDI%2bSXtw&sysid=1> , the Legislature should decide whether the
dedications should continue and let the burden of proof be on the fund
itself. In the current fiscal year, nearly $5 billion is locked away in
dedicated funds and as I told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c7519%7c9390&digest=fn
hFy1GnqIkam1pPY84PBg&sysid=1> , every dollar needs to be on the table so
that we can focus on our real priorities. 

This week I also traveled back up to Northeast Louisiana where I joined
Kennedy Rice Dryers Founder and President Elton Kennedy to announce a new
rice mill in Mer Rouge. The new mill will create 22 new direct jobs and
include a capital investment of $10 million, in addition to the estimated 50
construction jobs and 85 new indirect jobs.  As I told the Monroe News-Star
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c7510%7c9390&digest=%2
b2KD8UXLRa7M%2fCRK5EZOiA&sysid=1> , this economic development win is another
example of attracting industries that not only create jobs and add value to
our products, but gives our farmers more markets and better margins. 

Finally, I also traveled to Shreveport this past Saturday where I addressed
the Police Jury Association. I told them that we will not reduce funding for
critical infrastructure programs, including the Community Water Enrichment
Fund and the Local Government Assistance Program. As I told KSLA-TV
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c7511%7c9390&digest=w1
Yv%2b5otq%2bzQ4lvuGu2w0w&sysid=1> , these programs allow us to invest in our
roads, in our infrastructure, grow our economy, and improve our quality of
life. 

Sincerely, 

Governor Bobby Jindal