Jay Dardenne
Louisiana Senate crafts plan for spending $1.5B federal aid

By Melinda Deslatte May. 25, 2021 06:24 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana would spend more than $1.5 billion in federal coronavirus aid on roadwork, water system improvements, tourism marketing,...

Economist Stephen Barnes, left, and Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, both members of the Revenue Estimating Conference, review income projections ahead of the conference's meeting Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. The conference increased the income forecast for the current and upcoming budget years, giving lawmakers more money to spend. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
La. income forecast grows, giving lawmakers more to spend

By Melinda Deslatte May. 18, 2021 04:15 PM EDT

Reps. Bill Wheat, R-Ponchatoula, from left, Chris Turner, R-Ruston; and Troy Romero, R-Jennings, look through budget documents during a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee on Monday, May 3, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana House GOP leaders unveil their budget proposal

By Melinda Deslatte May. 03, 2021 01:32 PM EDT

Editorial Roundup: Louisiana

By The Associated Press Apr. 28, 2021 01:29 PM EDT
The Advocate. April 28, 2021. Editorial: Medicaid expansion dollars can help our state budget, but tough decisions will come ...

Economist: Louisiana likely to reach pre-COVID jobs in 2022

By Melinda Deslatte Mar. 25, 2021 04:02 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana has recovered fewer than half the jobs lost during the coronavirus pandemic so far, but is seeing ongoing, slow employment...

FILE - In this May 4, 2020 file photo, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne testifies before the Louisiana House Appropriations Committee, in Baton Rouge, La. Louisiana senators Monday, March 22, 2021, opened their latest budget hearings with concerns about using short-term federal coronavirus aid to pay for ongoing services and programs since the federal cash will disappear in later years. Dardenne, the governor’s chief budget adviser, said the administration believes Louisiana's economy will return to pre-pandemic tax collections in later years, with growth to offset the lost federal aid. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
Louisiana senators worry federal aid could inflate budget

By Melinda Deslatte Mar. 22, 2021 01:50 PM EDT

Analysis: Federal aid changes Louisiana budget conversation

By Melinda Deslatte Mar. 21, 2021 04:00 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Only months after concerns the coronavirus pandemic would force hefty budget cuts, Louisiana instead is awash in cash, billions of...

Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, right, asks questions during a meeting of Louisiana's income forecasting panel, the Revenue Estimating Conference, while House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, listens on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana income forecast assumes slow recovery in pandemic

By Melinda Deslatte Jan. 19, 2021 03:55 PM EST

State commissioner of administration Jay Dardenne wears a mask as he testifies before the Louisiana House Appropriations Committee, in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, May 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Louisiana to get $2B in federal virus aid, but with strings

By Melinda Deslatte Jan. 15, 2021 05:02 PM EST

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, left, the governor's chief budget adviser, speaks with Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, center, and House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, right, on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. The three men, all members of the Revenue Estimating Conference, spoke ahead of the conference's meeting. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana forecasting panel delays income review until Jan.

By Melinda Deslatte Dec. 09, 2020 04:11 PM EST

State commissioner of administration Jay Dardenne wears a mask as he testifies before the Louisiana House Appropriations Committee, in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, May 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Louisiana virus aid programs run dry with requests pending

By Melinda Deslatte Nov. 20, 2020 03:28 PM EST

Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, center, gestures as he talks with Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, left, the governor's chief budget adviser, and House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, right, on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. The three men, all members of the Revenue Estimating Conference, spoke ahead of the conference's meeting. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana seeking federal loan as unemployment fund runs dry

By Melinda Deslatte Sep. 25, 2020 03:41 PM EDT

Courtney Phillips, Louisiana's new Secretary of the Department of Health, speaks Monday, April 20, 2020 during Gov. John Bel Edwards' regular press conference to update Louisiana's status during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in Baton Rouge. (Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP, Pool)
Louisiana health department to redo Medicaid contract search

By Melinda Deslatte Aug. 21, 2020 02:39 PM EDT

Volunteers distribute food to recipients at the Giving Hope Food Pantry during a food giveaway, which was organized by City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen, in New Orleans, Tuesday, July 21, 2020. The effort is to assist people who have lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Louisiana municipalities being reimbursed for virus spending

Jul. 25, 2020 11:03 AM EDT

FILE - In this July 12, 2017 file photo, former state Rep. John Schroder, R-Covington, speaks after completing his paperwork to run for state treasurer, in Baton Rouge, La. Louisiana's State Treasurer Schroder says some small businesses harmed by the coronavirus pandemic should start seeing grants from a $300 million federally financed program as soon as next month. The money is part of $1.8 billion in direct congressional relief that Louisiana received to respond to COVID-19. Schroder told lawmakers Monday, June 22, 2020, that he hopes to have distributed all of the aid over a few months. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte, File)
Treasurer: Louisiana business grant program to begin in July

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 22, 2020 01:51 PM EDT

Rep. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, left, speaks with Rep. Gary Cater, D-New Orleans, on the House floor during a long day of bill debate, on Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
GOP pushes $300M in virus aid for Louisiana business grants

By Melinda Deslatte May. 28, 2020 06:26 PM EDT

Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville, left, asks questions about the budget while Rep. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, listens on Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. The House Appropriations Committee advanced a package of bills to close a $1 billion state budget gap, largely in line with plans recommended by Gov. John Bel Edwards. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Dispute erupts over virus aid for Louisiana local government

By Melinda Deslatte May. 21, 2020 04:39 PM EDT

Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee read through budget documents on Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. The committee advanced a package of bills to close a $1 billion state budget gap, largely in line with plans recommended by Gov. John Bel Edwards. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
House GOP largely backing Louisiana governor's budget plan

By Melinda Deslatte May. 21, 2020 01:43 PM EDT

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks at a news conference to discuss testing statistics and contact tracing pertaining to COVID-10, Friday, May 8, 2020, at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)
Louisiana governor, lawmakers at odds over surplus spending

By Melinda Deslatte May. 18, 2020 01:54 PM EDT

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks at a news conference to discuss testing statistics and contact tracing pertaining to COVID-10, Friday, May 8, 2020, at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)
Virus impact on Louisiana state finances pegged at $1B

By Melinda Deslatte May. 11, 2020 01:04 AM EDT