Area solons vote for $29.7 billion spending plan by Scott Rogers - posted Thursday, June 21st, 2007 @ 6:12 am  E-mail Story |  Print Story  The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Wednesday for the state's $29.7-billion spending plan for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The budget bill, or House Bill 1, was sent back to the House for final review following the Senate's approval on Tuesday. The House spent most of Wednesday going over final revisions. Rep. Kay Kellogg Katz, R-Monroe, was the sole member of the House who represents Ouachita Parish to vote against the budget bill. "It's on its way to the governor," Rep. Mike Walsworth said late Wednesday afternoon. "We'll wait on her signature and her line item veto if she so desires to do that. We'll probably see that in the next 25 days … whether or not she uses her red pen." Walsworth was one of several local legislators who was concerned before the session started that the Legislature would go on a spending spree. Both Walsworth and Sen. Robert Kostelka told The Ouachita Citizen in March that the Legislature should make sure during the session that it didn't saddle the state's next governor and future generations with a great deal of debt. "Regrettably, we've spent every dime we've got, or we are in the process of spending all of it," Walsworth said. "But, the teachers will have their raises, and the schools and universities will be fully funded for the first time. "Of course, this can come back and haunt us. The Republicans tried to lower the amount of spending and move from recurring expenditures, but we didn't have much luck. "This is a democratic process, and the majority always wins. I just hope for good things. Hopefully all of this (spending) will work out and move this state forward," Walsworth said. The Legislature used some $158 million to fund an average $2,375 pay raise for school teachers. Lawmakers also used some $35 million for pay raises for school support workers. Throughout the session, Republican legislators fought for a tax cut for individuals and the business community. At one time, GOP lawmakers pursued $400 million in tax cuts. Those efforts failed in the face of a push by legislators to spend some $3 billion in budget surpluses that date to the 2005-06 fiscal year. The budget, though, does include some $150 million in tax cuts. Some $8 billion of the budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year is federal money earmarked for recovery efforts in the wake of the 2005 hurricanes.