Adjustments Planned To Close Louisiana's Deficit

BATON ROUGE (AP) — To rebalance this year's $25 billion budget and eliminate a $180 million deficit, Gov. Bobby Jindal's Division of Administration presented a plan to lawmakers, which relies on adding unspent dollars into the budget and cutting spending at state agencies. A look at some details:

DEFICIT WAS CLOSED WITH:

—Fund sweeps, patchwork dollars added: $131.8 million.

—Spending freeze on nonessential travel and supplies: $10.9 million.

—Elimination of vacant jobs: $12.2 million.

—Contract cuts: $6.2 million.

—Other individual cuts to agencies: $18.4 million.

___

DOLLARS ADDED:

—$32 million from tax amnesty program.

—$12 million from insurance settlement related to Hurricane Gustav damage.

—$15 million in unspent money from increased penalties and fees charged to uninsured motorists, approved by lawmakers earlier this year.

—$47 million in unbudgeted fees and self-generated revenue from state agencies and FEMA payments.

—$24.3 million from unspent balances in a half dozen state funds.

—$1.6 million from state property sales.

___

BIGGEST CUTS:

—Division of Administration, $3.1 million.

—Coastal Restoration and Protection, $947,698.

—Department of Military Affairs, $359,000.

—Department of Veterans Affairs, $240,000.

—Department of Agriculture and Forestry, $208,316.

—Department of Insurance, $232,771.

—Department of Economic Development, $2.1 million.

—Department of Transportation and Development, $8.2 million.

—Department of Corrections, $336,780.

—Office of Juvenile Justice, $2 million.

—Department of Health and Hospitals, $5.5 million.

—Department of Children and Family Services, $964,980.

—Department of Natural Resources, $714,902.

—Department of Revenue, $2.1 million.

—Department of Environmental Quality, $2.1 million.

—Louisiana Workforce Commission, $2.2 million.

—Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, $2 million.

—Department of Education, $6.3 million.

___

167 VACANT JOBS ELIMINATED:

—Division of Administration: 24

—Coastal Restoration and Protection: 2

—Department of Military Affairs: 5

—Louisiana Public Defender Board: 1

—Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement: 1

—Department of Agriculture and Forestry: 5

—Department of Insurance: 6

—Department of Economic Development: 1

—Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism: 7

—Department of Transportation and Development: 9

—Department of Corrections: 6

—Office of Juvenile Justice: 10

—Department of Health and Hospitals: 47

—Department of Natural Resources: 5

—Department of Environmental Quality: 10

—Louisiana Workforce Commission: 13

—Louisiana Educational Television Authority: 1

—Department of Education: 14