Rep. Horton On Budget Surplus: 'We Didn't Need the Money'

State Rep. Dodie Horton of Haughton talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about the announcement by Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder that the state will have a budget surplus topping $300 million.

Horton tells KEEL listeners that the surplus exists, "Because we didn't need the money in the first place! We knew that the revenue we'd be collecting would be increasing - and we still haven't started collecting money from internet (taxation). I knew I stood on solid ground with my conservative colleagues that we did not need that extra revenue. We need budget reform, we need Medicaid reform, but we certainly didn't need to tax the citizens of Louisiana any further."

From wdsu.com:

Louisiana's treasurer expects the state to have a surplus topping $300 million from the last budget year.

Treasurer John Schroder said Friday the state recently closed the books on the budget year that ended June 30. Schroder said a cash balance around $400 million remained, although the figure has to be audited and double-checked against outstanding obligations.

Louisiana's treasurer expects the state to have a surplus topping $300 million from the last budget year.

Treasurer John Schroder said Friday the state recently closed the books on the budget year that ended June 30. Schroder said a cash balance around $400 million remained, although the figure has to be audited and double-checked against outstanding obligations.

The governor's office has also called for Schroder to not discuss the topic, saying that attaching any specific amount to the surplus would be "immature."