| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Politix |
| Rift showing between Blanco and black lawmakers |
| 2005-11-10 |
| Melinda Deslatte / Associated Press BATON ROUGE -- A noticeable public rift has developed between Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Louisiana's black lawmakers at a critical time for a state struggling to recover from back-to-back hurricanes. Disagreements have emerged over the types of hurricane recovery items that Blanco included in the special legislative session to deal with the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the items that she didn't put up for debate. But the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus called attention to its displeasure this week when the group filed a lawsuit against Blanco, saying the governor didn't have the legal authority to slash $431 million in state spending by executive order. The caucus asked a judge to reverse those deep budget cuts that Blanco handed down Saturday. The developments have added new wrinkles to a tense budget-cutting process in the Legislature and a special session that was supposed to be a significant stamp on hurricane recovery for Louisiana by Blanco and lawmakers. The disputes cut into Blanco's traditional support from Democratic black lawmakers and put her at odds with many of the legislative leaders she helped select. Louisiana's governor has a heavy hand in choosing top leaders in the Legislature and committee chairman. Blanco blamed the disputes on tough choices that must be made in a state grappling with a nearly $1 billion budget deficit and coping with a massive blow from natural disasters of an unprecedented scale. "It never can be a wonderful exercise when you start cutting things," the governor said Thursday. "I respect the fact that they're feeling a lot of pain." Sen. Cleo Fields, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the caucus, said it wasn't spurred by specific items that Blanco cut -- reductions that spanned state agencies and removed spending for lawmakers' pet projects and dollars they get from grant funds often derided as "slush funds." Blanco said she believed the core complaint of the black caucus was the $6 million cut to the grant funds. Fields, D-Baton Rouge, said the Legislature is charged with spending money and balancing the budget. He said the governor can make certain cuts but exceeded her authority in the depth of the reductions she made based on incorrect advice from the state's attorney general. A hearing on the lawsuit was set for Nov. 18. Lawmakers can undo the governor's budget cuts in the special session, but several said Blanco set a poor tone for a session where she pleaded for unity in reconstruction efforts after slashing the budget on her own. "Personally, I just think it was a bad move on her part," Fields said. Caucus members said the cuts meted out by Blanco could harm health care, social services and educational programs that are crucial for people already hurt by the hurricanes. "We're talking about all of those things that go to the very people who need help the most," said Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, chairman of the black caucus. Richmond said the state has trust funds it could tap and could make smaller spending cuts while Congress also continues to consider the types of federal aid it may give to Louisiana. The black caucus offered some modest cuts but didn't have a complete list of how it proposes dealing with the state's $959 million deficit. Beyond the cuts, several black lawmakers disagree with Blanco's plans to revamp the New Orleans school system and take more authority away from the local school board. Many caucus members also were unhappy that the governor's framework for the special session didn't include housing for the displaced and more individual tax relief. "There's no conversation about incentives for people to come back home," Richmond said. Both the governor and the black caucus say the disagreements don't spell doom for the legislative session. Blanco said she has continuing conversations with her legislative leadership, including members of the black caucus. "We're not operating in a void," she said. At a press conference Thursday, caucus members asked when they last spoke to the governor simply laughed -- but they pledged that they wanted to work with the governor on recovery efforts. "I am still in support of the governor," said Sen. Sharon Broome, D-Baton Rouge. "But perhaps those individuals who may have been advising her in the process did not advise her wisely on inclusiveness." "We're committed to recovery and rebuilding efforts as she is. We're just saying we want to be part of the team in that process," Broome said. |
| Posted by:Deacon Blues |
| #1 Many caucus members also were unhappy that the governor's framework for the special session didn't include housing for the displaced and more individual tax relief. I see only one valid grievance here. "Tax relief" only applies to those who work. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-11-10 21:20 |