Louisiana
How big is Louisiana’s budget deficit next year? It depends on teacher pay. • Louisiana Illuminator
Louisiana’s official state budget deficit estimate for the next fiscal year has shrunk from $558.8 million to $338.9 million, but mostly because stipends for school teachers and support staff have been left out of the more recent calculation.
The $338.9 million projection assumes Gov. Jeff Landry and state lawmakers will not renew a $2,000 stipend for public school teachers and $1,000 for school support staff that they have received for the past two years. In the current budget cycle, the stipends cost a total of $199 million.
It also doesn’t factor in money for differential pay bumps for teachers with hard-to-fill jobs in math, science and at schools serving predominantly low-income families. Funding for tutoring programs state Education Superintendent Cade Brumley supports has also been excluded.
If those extra schools expenses are added back, the budget deficit for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2025, is much higher — $587 million — state budget director Ternisa Hutchinson said at a legislative budget hearing Friday.
Legislative leaders indicated they will still look at renewing the teachers pay stipend, even if it isn’t part of the official budget estimate.
“Those items will factor into budget discussions moving forward,” according to a press release sent out from House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, and Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, after Friday’s budget meeting.
State budget officials had to leave the education programs out of their projection by law because legislators chose to fund them on a temporary basis this year, Hutchinson said. Anticipating a budget shortfall, lawmakers have been reluctant to turn the stipends into permanent raises, which would make them harder to cut if needed.
But the omission also affects estimates for state budget deficits in future years, Hutchinson said.
Without the teacher stipend and other education programs, deficits for budget cycles 2026-27 and 2027-28 are expected to be $370 million and $508.3 million, respectively. If that spending is included, however, the estimates jump to $617 million and $755 million.
Next year’s financial shortfall is largely attributed to Louisiana lawmakers voting in 2018 to automatically cut the state sales tax 0.45% on July 1, 2025. The reduction, which will leave the state sales tax rate at 4%, will cost the state $445 million in the next budget cycle.
DeVillier doesn’t believe there’s enough support from lawmakers to keep the sales tax rate at 4.45%. Two-thirds of legislators in both chambers would have to approve doing so. The conservative House of Representatives is unlikely to vote that way, he has said in recent interviews.
There are other actions lawmakers could take besides budget cuts to significantly shrink the shortfall however.
The legislators could divert $340 million in vehicle sales tax revenue currently dedicated to transportation projects back into the state general fund, which mostly pays for public higher education, health care and prisons. This would give lawmakers more flexibility to handle the shortfall.
Until a few years ago, vehicle sales tax receipts went into the general fund anyway. Legislators passed a law to siphon it off for transportation projects in 2021.
Lawmakers could also continue a 2% tax on business utilities that is supposed to be eliminated in July 2025. If they kept the tax, it would generate $220 million that could be counted against the deficit, according to estimates provided by Louisiana Department of Revenue Secretary Richard Nelson.
Legislators could also remove state spending increases factored into the budget for inflation, which total $34 million.
DeVillier said next year’s budget gap projection takes all of three of the aforementioned tax and spending measures into account.
“But we have options that can be considered that will balance the budget, including finding efficiencies in government and creating a more predictable tax structure for the state,” he said.
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Faith leaders and politicians paid tribute at a funeral Saturday to eight children who were killed in a mass shooting last month in Louisiana.
The victims of the April 19 shooting in Shreveport included seven siblings who were shot by their father in an attack that also killed their cousin.
The service on Mother’s Day weekend at Summer Grove Baptist Church began with a long procession of mourners slowly filing past eight white caskets with large photos of the children next to them. Gold crowns and bouquets of white flowers were placed on top of the closed caskets. A choir behind the altar and individual singers performed throughout the service.
“In spite of how you may be feeling today, we still need to know that God is still good,” Bishop Bernard Kimble, senior pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church, said in opening remarks.
The funeral’s pamphlet contained tributes to each of the children, who ranged in age from 3 to 11. Some of them had affectionate nicknames: 3-year-old Jayla Elkins was “Jaybae;” Kayla Pugh, 6, was called “K-Mae,” and 10-year-old Mar’Kaydon Pugh was “K-Bug.”
Six-year-old Khedarrion Snow had “a sweet and loving heart,” and “though his life on earth was short, his light was mighty,” according to the pamphlet. Layla Pugh, 7, was “bright, intelligent, bold, and full of love” and enjoyed making TikTok videos with her siblings and cousins.
Pastor and gospel singer Kim Burrell reminded family and community members trying to make sense of the shootings that “God is still on the throne.”
“To ask the question, ‘Why is this fair, God? How could you, Lord?’ He’s still God,” Burrell said. “The same God that healed you from the stuff that you don’t want to tell nobody about. But he is a God that doesn’t have to give us all the clues. Just know that he makes no mistakes.”
The children’s father, Shamar Elkins, used an assault-style weapon despite a 2019 felony firearms conviction. His wife, who was seeking a divorce, and another woman were wounded in the shooting that stretched across two houses in a Shreveport neighborhood.
Elkins died after fleeing and a police pursuit. It was not clear whether he was killed by officers who fired or from a self-inflicted gunshot, according to police.
An investigation remains ongoing into the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. in more than two years.
During the service, other speakers included Shreveport Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor, who acknowledged that “there are no words sufficient to ease this pain,” while Councilman James Green implored audience members to collectively “take off our funeral face” because “this is a celebration” of the children’s lives.
Indeed, churchgoers often stood clapping their hands in response to singers and speakers. The children’s names were read or shown several times throughout the service, where Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux expressed the city’s condolences.
“May we honor them by carrying forward the gentleness, joy and love they so freely shared,” Arceneaux said.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry ordered U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff over the next week at the Capitol and state government buildings. A message read from Landry said the victims “were the light of their homes and the heart of their classrooms. They were full of promise and found joy in the simplest things, such as dancing, playing outside and sharing laughter with family and friends. Their futures were bright and held great promise.”
“It is incumbent upon us to honor the memory of those lost by standing together against such senseless violence.”
Among those in attendance was former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, whose political career was cut short by a 2011 assassination attempt.
“She just wanted to come and just let the family know that this pain is not just in Louisiana,” said U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Louisiana. “This pain is all across the nation.”
Buses were made available afterward to transport mourners to a graveside burial. At the conclusion of the church service, Kimble prayed for healing to begin.
“Help us as we move from this spot,” he said. “Because we know, oh God, grief is only temporary. And if we’ll put our hands in your favor, you’ll lead us through this.”
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Louisiana State Police issued a Silver Alert Friday for a 76-year-old New Orleans man who has been missing since Wednesday.
Elbert Welch was last seen in the 1700 block of Holiday Drive on May 6 at approximately 11 a.m. State police received the request to issue a Silver Alert at approximately 6:54 p.m. Friday on behalf of the New Orleans Police Department.
Welch is a white male with brown eyes and black and gray hair. He is 5′10″ and weighs approximately 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a khaki shirt, black pants and a blue baseball cap.
Family reports that Welch has a medical condition that may impair his judgment.
Welch is believed to be walking on foot in an unknown direction.
Anyone with information regarding Welch’s whereabouts is asked to immediately contact the New Orleans Police Department, 4th District, at (504) 821-2222 or dial 911. All questions should be directed to the New Orleans Police Department.
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Watch UL Diamond sports HCs talk wins and losses vs Troy, Coastal Carolina
Hear from UL softball and baseball HCs, Matt Deggs and Alyson Habetz following SBC play where Cajuns softball swept Coastal Carolina and baseball loss 2-1 to Troy.
Pressure is back on for Louisiana baseball, especially on the weekend in Sun Belt Conference play.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (30-19, 12-12) dropped their final midweek game of the season, losing 9-6 to the University of New Orleans in extra innings. Now, the Cajuns are back on the road for SBC play, needing every win they can get to better their chances of snagging a regional spot. They travel to Appalachian State for what will likely be a chilly three-game series against the Mountaineers.
Seventh-year head coach Matt Deggs will go with junior Cody Brasch to start Game 1, a spot the right-hander is becoming accustomed to. Saturday’s are for Andrew Herrmann, the most reliable of the Cajuns’ arms through the year. App State will start junior righty Nick DiRito on Friday, followed by junior righty Gage Peterson and junior lefty Tanner Nolan to close out the series.
Here’s how to watch Ragin’ Cajuns baseball in its SBC series vs App State (28-18, 15-9), including time, TV schedule, live score and streaming information.
Watch Louisiana baseball vs App State on ESPN+
Louisiana baseball vs App State live score
What channel is Louisiana baseball vs App State on?
TV: None
Livestream: ESPN+
Radio: Varsity Network, 96.5 FM
Louisiana vs. App State will be available live on ESPN+ streaming service for the teams’ ninth SBC series of the 2026 college baseball season. Matt Present will provide commentary from Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
What time does Louisiana baseball play App State today?
- 5 p.m. Friday, May 8
- 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9
- 12 p.m. Sunday, May 10
The Louisiana vs. App State series starts at 5 p.m. Friday at Beaver Field in Boone, N.C., followed by Game 2 at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Cajuns will close out the series at noon on Sunday.
Louisiana baseball vs App State weather update
Friday’s matchup will be played in semi-cloudy weather with sunshine throughout the day. It’ll be a high of 62 degrees and a low of 44 degrees. Winds will get up to about five to 10 mph, and there is less than a 7% chance of rain in the afternoon. Saturday’s game will be played in warmer weather with a high of 67 degrees, followed by Sunday’s high of 73 degrees.
Louisiana baseball vs App State history
Series record: Louisiana leads 14-9
In Lafayette: Series tied 6-6
In Boone: Louisiana leads 6-3
Louisiana’s last win: April 2, 2023 (6-0)
App State’s last win: April 1, 2023 (8-5)
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
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