LMR July 2023

GOVERNOR’S COLUMN
We recently wrapped up the
last regular session of my
second term as governor. I
couldn’t help but think back
to my first sine die press conference
in 2016. The mood
that day was much different
than it is now. Back then,
we were still trying to work
through a $2 billion deficit
left behind by the previous
administration. It took numerous
sessions to right the
ship, but we did it by working
together in a bipartisan
fashion.
Fast forward to now, and the
bulk of the budget discussions
this session were spent
figuring out how to use surplus
and excess dollars. We
went from debating how to
make up for $2 billion to debating
how to appropriate
$2 billion. I can tell you from
experience, I much prefer the
latter to the former. As I said
in my opening address to the
legislature, promises were
made, promises were kept,
and progress was delivered.
We did that together.
The budget that was finally
passed contains a $2,000
pay raise for teachers and a
$1,000 pay raise for school
support workers. That brings
the total teacher pay increase
in Louisiana since 2019 to
$5,300. It also includes funding
to waive fees for members
of the Louisiana National
Guard who attend our public
higher education institutions,
historic investments in
roads, bridges, ports, and historic
payments to decrease
our debt.
Commending You and the Work You Do
Those are critical priorities
that will be funded at historic
levels thanks to the hard
work of Democrats, Republicans,
and independent Joe
Marino. That being said, we
didn’t get everything we
wanted. I asked for a $3,000
teacher pay raise and $1,500
raise for support workers. We
could’ve afforded to do it,
but we couldn’t get there this
year. I hope Louisiana’s voters
ask their legislators to come
back next year and keep giving
teachers the pay raises
they deserve.
For as much as we’ve accomplished
together, I do think
that there’s still too much partisanship
poisoning the process.
Differences of opinion
can be a good thing. That’s
how we work through difficult
situations and come to a
compromise that best serves
the people we were elected
to serve. But when partisan
national talking points that
have no bearing on Louisiana
interfere with the budget
process, that’s not how we
can best serve the people of
this great state.
That’s also why I am disappointed
that several bills
failed to once again make it
through the legislative process,
including raising the
minimum wage, equal pay,
and eliminating the death
penalty. I’ve spoken before
about how these are all prolife
issues that should be embraced
in a pro-life state like
Louisiana.
And while these pieces of
legislation will not be passed
during my time as governor,
I know one day they will. I’m
certain of that. I hope and
pray that future legislatures
do not allow Louisiana to remain
behind when it comes
to these important quality of
life issues.
I want to end on a positive
note by highlighting some
recent progress we’ve made
in the state of Louisiana. We
celebrated the announcement
of a $100 million final
investment decision for
a renewable fuel facility in
Jeanerette. The Delta Biofuel
facility is expected to create
275 new jobs for the Acadiana
region. As one of the nation’s
top producers of sugarcane,
producing more than 2
million tons of raw sugar in
2022, it is only fitting that our
state will lead the way in the
production and export of this
new renewable fuel source.
Once again, we see how the
transition to cleaner energy
creates investment, jobs and
opportunities across multiple
economic sectors and regions
of our state.
I recently joined the Louisiana
Department of Natural
Resources in announcing
that 300 orphan well sites
have been plugged in the
first four-and-a-half months
of work funded by the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law.
The contractors and their
crews have set a record pace
for orphaned well plugging
in our state, helping us take
advantage of the opportunity
presented by having such
a large inflow of available
funding. We’re using BIL (Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law)
funding to make transformational
investments across
Louisiana, and I appreciate
the work that Dept. of Nat-
Gov. John Bel Edwards
ural Resources Sec. Harris,
his team, and the contractors
are doing to ensure this
crucial work is off to a strong
start.
I would also like to congratulate
the 13 college students
who have been chosen to
participate in the Lamar
Governor’s Fellowship Program.
This opportunity will
allow these students to gain
firsthand knowledge about
the development and implementation
of public policy
as well as the state’s rich
history and current affairs of
Louisiana government. These
students represent the next
generation of Louisiana’s
leaders, and our goal is to
provide them with an invaluable
learning experience and
help them understand their
vital role in our state’s future.
If you want to learn more
about these remarkable students,
visit gov.louisiana.gov
for more information.
I cannot speak about leaders
in public service without commending
you and the work
you do for your municipalities.
Thank you for working alongside
us to achieve a better
Louisiana, and God bless.
Page 6
LMR | JULY 2023