Treasurer Schroder On Surplus: Gov Wants 'To Grow Government'

State Treasurer John Schroder talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about his department's recent accounting check, which shows that Louisiana will have a surplus of $300 million from last year's budget.

Schroder tells KEEL listeners that he was opposed to the nearly half penny sales tax pushed by the John Bel Edwards during the summer's special legislative session and doubted the governor's dire financial warnings from the beginning.

Here's a summary 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.

When that accounting check is complete, Schroder said he anticipates the official figure will exceed $300 million.

Gov. John Bel Edwards' spokesman Richard Carbo confirmed Louisiana has a surplus, but he said the exact amount won't be determined until mid-October.

The Governor's office has also called on Schroder to not discuss the surplus, calling the mentioning of any specific figure "premature."