Solons claim regular session was tough by Scott Rogers - posted Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 @ 10:11 pm  E-mail Story |  Print Story  Local legislators say the recent legislative session was one of the toughest in years, but there were positives, which were overshadowed by a $1.2-billion deficit and budget cuts. Northeast Louisiana legislators discussed the recent legislative session with hundreds of people Wednesday during the Monroe Chamber of Commerce's annual legislative appreciation luncheon. It was held at the Monroe Civic Center. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, said the session was difficult and tough decisions were made. However, he said Louisiana has a balanced budget at the present time unlike many other states. Louisiana also will not have to issue IOUs to its taxpayers like California recently did, Fannin said. "We have huge and significant challenges, but we will meet those challenges, and we will try to do it in a responsible way," Fannin said. "We will do what we have to do to make it through these times." Several local lawmakers said one of the most important bills to come out of the regular session was a career diploma bill sponsored by Fannin and Sen. Robert Kostelka, R-Monroe. The legislation was designed to tackle the large number of dropouts in Louisiana by providing them with alternative educational opportunities. Approximately 13,500 Louisiana students drop out of high school each year. That number climbs to 16,000 if middle school students are included. Rep. Bubba Chaney, D-Rayville, commended Fannin's and Kostelka's bill, saying it was probably the most important bill of the session. "This should substantially improve the dropout rate of students who are not interested in pursuing the traditional college prep curriculum currently being taught," Chaney said. "The hands-on course work should appeal to many students who have no desire to attend any four-year college." Rep. Frank Hoffman, R-West Monroe, agreed. "The career diploma bill will probably be the most significant piece of legislation that happens this year, and it is good legislation," Hoffman said. "It is relevant curriculum for students going into the workforce. It's a good program. You'll hear some criticism out there, but I think it will help revolutionize our schools in a good way." Other positives that occurred during the regular session, according to lawmakers, included a bill that changed the way the state's megafund can be used. The change allowed Foster Farms to buy the former Pilgrim's Pride facility in Farmerville, Chaney said. The state used $50 million from the megafund to aid Foster Farms with the purchase. "This affected everyone to some degree north of Alexandria all the way to the Arkansas border," Chaney said. The megafund also was tapped to provide a $70 million incentives package for the startup V-Vehicle company to locate in the former Guide plant in Monroe, Chaney said. Veteran lawmaker Rep. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, said this year's fiscal session was the most challenging he has ever been a part of in his 35 years in politics. "It was tough, and it appeared that things were not going to work out for us, but in the end, we were able to balance the budget," Thompson said. "Thank goodness were able to put some more money into higher education." While the Legislature was able to mitigate some of the cuts to higher education, Hoffman said funding shortfalls for universities and community colleges over the next few years would cause some problems for higher education. Hoffman said the recently formed Postsecondary Education Review Commission would determine how higher educational institutions could work with less state funding. Many state leaders anticipate budget reductions to higher education could continue through 2012.