Tuesday, March 21, 2006

 

Don’t restore slush funds


ADVOCATE EDITORIAL
(excerpt)

Last year, post-hurricane fiscal pressures prompted the governor and lawmakers to do the right thing and eliminate from the budget the unspent money in rural and urban development funds, also known as slush funds to the wider public. Monies from the funds are doled out at the governor’s discretion, and while not every funded project has been bad, projects are doled out to favored legislators without benefit of the hearings they deserve.

Now, with the state’s budget picture not quite as bad this year as some had predicted, some legislators are suggesting that the slush funds be restored. We oppose that idea and hope it doesn’t get far.

As the nation puts Louisiana’s state fiscal management under a microscope while the state pursues federal recovery dollars, politics as usual must go.

The governor and lawmakers were right to do away with the slush funds last year. Let’s keep it that way.


<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?