Cuts coming to close the state deficit

[Turbine]

Thing that scares me about a Constitutional Convention...

Do we get real budget reforms, or does it become a politician/lobbyist field day? I could easily see the self-servants making term-limits go away. Term-limits isn't a cure-all, but it will hopefully help in keeping the career legislators from being in there 20+ years.

Does the Constitution then get changed to allow for income tax increases just by simple majority vote rather than the current 2/3's requirement?

I don't see why they would need to go there.

They need to study how something that didn't exest -when the inclusions and exclusions were penned- is now somehow protected.

[Zeebart21]

SUNO has a 6 or 8 percent six-year graduation rate. Absolute worst in the state. We can start there. Then we can look at geography. LSU-S, LA Tech, ULM, Grambling and Northwestern all within about an hour and half from each other. Grambling stays because of heritage/tradition, Tech stays because of size and success, and Northwestern stays because of how long they've been around. That leaves LSU-S and ULM. I would lean towards LSU-S being merged into Tech.

SUNO?? Careful...you dont want to be labeled racist...

Z

[Cajunrunner]

I don't see why they would need to go there.

They need to study how something that didn't exest -when the inclusions and exclusions were penned- is now somehow protected.

But the thing is once a Constitutional Convention is called, EVERYTHING is on the table to be rehashed. You don't think the Alario-type politicians would have their hands all over trying to repeal term limits? Others will be looking at the 2/3 requirement to raise income taxes, ESPECIALLY groups like Louisiana Budget Project and those at the top of the Higher Ed community.

I'm not saying I'm against a Constitutional Convention. Not sure where I stand regarding one. There are budget reforms that desperately need to be made. I would prefer if we could make them via the Legislature rather than a convention. If a convention is the only way...then it's the only way. It just concerns me all the other issues the politicians and lobbying groups would no doubt want to bring out.

[Hammer58]

But the thing is once a Constitutional Convention is called, EVERYTHING is on the table to be rehashed. You don't think the Alario-type politicians would have their hands all over trying to repeal term limits? Others will be looking at the 2/3 requirement to raise income taxes, ESPECIALLY groups like Louisiana Budget Project and those at the top of the Higher Ed community.

I'm not saying I'm against a Constitutional Convention. Not sure where I stand regarding one. There are budget reforms that desperately need to be made. I would prefer if we could make them via the Legislature rather than a convention. If a convention is the only way...then it's the only way. It just concerns me all the other issues the politicians and lobbying groups would no doubt want to bring out.

Your concerns are laid. The problem with the legislature is that is they are the same guys that got us into this mess over the years.

[Turbine]

But the thing is once a Constitutional Convention is called, EVERYTHING is on the table to be rehashed. You don't think the Alario-type politicians would have their hands all over trying to repeal term limits? Others will be looking at the 2/3 requirement to raise income taxes, ESPECIALLY groups like Louisiana Budget Project and those at the top of the Higher Ed community.

I'm not saying I'm against a Constitutional Convention. Not sure where I stand regarding one. There are budget reforms that desperately need to be made. I would prefer if we could make them via the Legislature rather than a convention. If a convention is the only way...then it's the only way. It just concerns me all the other issues the politicians and lobbying groups would no doubt want to bring out.

They could cut something frivolous that came into being in the post "new" Constitution era and let a court decide.

[Cajunrunner]

The problem with the legislature is that is they are the same guys that got us into this mess over the years.

And we continue to re-elect them. A bright bunch we are.

[Cajunrunner]

They could cut something frivolous that came into being in the post "new" Constitution era and let a court decide.

Wouldn't that take some...how should I put this..."intestinal fortitude"? Preferably a few pair?

But guess what...no matter those gutless politicians...I'll be in NOLA with tens of thousands of my best friends this time next week!

[Hammer58]

And we continue to re-elect them. A bright bunch we are.

Just as with Jindal its usually a case of the lesser of two evils. I was friends with a local businessman who ran and won during a wave of reform several decades ago. He walked away after one term disgusted by the games and egos that prevented anything meaningful from getting done. And it's not just the elected politicians. Many of the bureaucrats in state government are worse. Their attitude toward anyone going up there intent on doing the right thing is basically "you'll be gone after the next election, I'll still be here".

[Cajunrunner]

Many of the bureaucrats in state government are worse. Their attitude toward anyone going up there intent on doing the right thing is basically "you'll be gone after the next election, I'll still be here".

Been told the same exact thing.

[BlueDawg]

It's inevitable.....mergers need to happen at some point. Y'all get this, but no politician wants to address this issue head on (for obvious reasons). Y'all witnessed this when Tech tried to get LSU-S. Local leaders were in full support but some professors raised hell in fear of losing jobs & Legislature tabled it. I think it'll happen eventually. There's simply too many universities & not enough money. They need to do the same w/ LSU-E into UL. Who knows, maybe ULM will be merged as well. I think Tech would like to have their pharma school ; )

[Boomer]

It's inevitable.....mergers need to happen at some point. Y'all get this, but no politician wants to address this issue head on (for obvious reasons). Y'all witnessed this when Tech tried to get LSU-S. Local leaders were in full support but some professors raised hell in fear of losing jobs & Legislature tabled it. I think it'll happen eventually. There's simply too many universities & not enough money. They need to do the same w/ LSU-E into UL. Who knows, maybe ULM will be merged as well. I think Tech would like to have their pharma school ; )

--------Not a shutdown necessarily but some type of non duplication with LSU-A & E, McNeese, and NichollsAll about an hour and a little away from the main campus----Tech gets the North Louisiana and LSU gets S-Eastern and Southern and maybe UNO!!!

[VObserver]

UNO stays. It absorbs SUNO and SLU, at least administratively.