“We hope, moving forward, we can restore these cuts recommended in this budget in a special session.”
The parade of pleas for more money, like that by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, has become a familiar part of the state budget hearing process, though the marching order is different this year.
Instead of the whole House Appropriations Committee taking daily testimony, department heads are making their appeals to five-member subcommittees. Monday, it was Economic Development in one, and Tourism in another.
The big question for Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson wasn’t about cash incentives to lure business, or even about movie tax credits. It was about the Industrial Tax Exemption Program.
“What we have is a program that was created 48 years ago, that’s a constitutional program,” Pierson explained
When granted, a business pays no state or local property tax millages – for ten years.
“It is routinely approved,” Pierson said, adding that local government entities have no say in the process. But, he added, it is one of the incentives being considered for changes, at the governor’s request.
Another subcommittee was hearing from Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser about the Culture, Recreation and Tourism Department budget.
“If these cuts stay in place and we close facilities, people come shake the door and leave Louisiana saying, ‘The museum was closed. The state park was closed’,” Nungesser said. “We would much rather have visitors able to see these facilities, so when they leave they’re telling people, ‘You gotta go see this beautiful place.’ Those are our best salesmen.”
Testimony showed CRT has gone from a $140-million budget in 2008, down to $66-million in the upcoming budget year. Nungesser says any funding boost will give them some breathing room to find other ways to pay the bills.
“Our long term plan is looking at all the fees we charge, but we’re also looking at private-public partnerships. We’re also looking at naming rights – for the state parks, for Poverty Point.”
You heard right. They’re looking at branding Louisiana’s U.N. World Heritage Site – Poverty Point National Monument– with a corporate sponsor.