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The Listening Post Asks: What Have You Cut Out Of Your Budget?

http://doa.louisiana.gov/
Governor Jindal recently announced his budget recommendations for the next fiscal year.

WWNO's Listening Post project asks questions about local news in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast and reports back on the community's response. This week the Listening Post examines Governor Bobby Jindal's recently released budget proposal for the 2016 fiscal year

Last week, Governor Jindalannounced plans to reduce the state’s 1.6 billion dollar deficit. His budget would cut spending by 4.7%. His proposal includes a cigarette tax hike and more college fees. The state legislature will finalize the budget in June.

Greg Albrecht is Chief Economist at the Louisiana Legislative Fiscal Office. His job is to analyze state spending. 

“There’s going to be service reduction, there’s going to be less time available for certain governmental services, there’s going to be less people available for certain governmental services,” Albrecht says.

He says heavy spending cuts have been the norm for the past few years. 

"I don’t think the administration would feel like there was a whole lot of fluff or excess left in a lot of these budgets. So you are cutting something out real, I suspect,” he says.

Under the current proposal, public services like mental health care and state parks face major cuts. 

Click below to hear more of our conversation with economist Greg Albrecht. 

AlbrechtEdit.mp3

Every time we produce a segment we send out questions about our topic via text message. Here are the responses we got to our questions about budgets. 

  • Would you be willing to pay higher taxes for better public services? Which services would you fund better?
"Hell yes I'd fund better public services. For starters the library is in dire need of funding!! But the list goes on and on..." "No" "yes, schools" "Yes! Schools!!!!!!" "Yes, I'd fund schools and public transit" "If we had amazing school system id let you tax my marijuana." "no taxes are too high. Libraries should be better funded." "Taxes are really high here. They aren't spending it wisely. I want to see early childcare and after school programs for families." "Yes, higher taxes for roads and the water and sewage systems!" "If we had amazing school system id let you tax my marijuana." "Yes. Green space maintenance and litter control and clean up." "No I would not." "Yes. Infrastructure Projects and more traffic cops. more visible Police presence. better social safety net and drug treatment facilities. Mental Hospital beds." "yes i would. schools and roads" "Yes, education, police, and fire." "Yes. Streets. Sidewalks. Recycling. Public transportation." "I think bobby jindal is an abhorrent individual. His fiscal policies are totally unsustainable and as a state employee and an LSU grad student I'm going to suffer no matter what. His willful ignorance of budget consequences is pretty fucking unconscionable." "Well the Police Dept of course" "Yes helpinthe homeless" "Yes. Education and children's services" "Yes- education, water quality, mental health" "Yes Schools ~ you fix schools you fix the Whole Damn thing" "Absolutely. A better public transit system that actually served residents' daily needs would be an exciting development here that would be a huge economic driver." "Maybe.NOPD"

  • What's something you've had to cut from your personal/family budget? How did it make a difference?
"Smoking. Almost $8 per day." "We've cut the cord on cable" "Toys. No more fun" "I cut out some coffee and concerts. It helps me cover more positive things like a gym membership" "Going out to eat. I was spending over $250 a month eating out. It turns out, $250 sure can buy a lot of groceries. Money in the bank." "Entertainment ...we don't eat out as much or go to movies." "Cable" "I've been lucky not to have to make touch choices. But I have prioritized things like paying out-of-pocket for therapy and yoga, and lived on cheaper groceries" "Going out to eat. I was spending over $250 a month eating out. It turns out, $250 sure can buy a lot of groceries. Money in the bank." "Cable service - too expensive. Just frees up money to go out to eat and do other stuff that is more fun than watching the drivel that is on tv." "I've been fortunate enough to not have to cut anything." "Entertainment budget is down to watching TV and movies at home. Cannot afford any medical procedures not covered by Insurance. My 2 Vehicles are in need of repair (preventive maintenance)." "We've cut the cord and only get internet and cell phone service. It means our kids have almost no idea what it's like to watch TV in the traditional sense" "XM Radio, cable TV, and" "Cable. It's great. Not as much crap TV watching. More money in my pocket and less in the big cable companies." "Honestly, Yes.....I had to cut certain beautification (bikini wax!!) and fancy dining experiences (no more Emrils and nice champagne). My spouse and I cook a lot more together at home and even have little competitions.....ex. Make dinner for 6 people w only 15$.....#creativity" "Furniture and trips out to activities for away because we were moving and my school cost a lot of money,but it made me and my mom realize we didn't need superficial things to make us happy on the weekend" "Had to cut our maid when I got laid off." "Got a less expensive health care plan" "A Good budget is Gospel to me ~ I worked my butt off to run a Crew laying SOD ~ so me and my family would have work ~ I put money aside for my DAUGHTER(2/3) insurance health and car phone ~ O yeah and my WALMART Money at leas a $100 a week and a lil savings ~ when money comes in it goes through the BUDGET" "Tough times mean I don't get to eat out with my loved ones nearly as often as I'd like to. Especially tough now that restaurants are more and more expensive." "Cut out extra activities and certain foods. It's made us more creative as a family. Not being able to cut out the insane cost of childcare."

By far, the most common answer was cable TV. A lot of people feel that it’s not worth the money, including our state economist.

“My wife and I both are sitting down trying to figure out how we can get out of our cable bill. We think we’re paying way too much for TV,” says Albrecht.

   

Remember, if you want to join the conversation, call or text the word "Hello” to 504-303-4348. 

Here's some audio from a listener who heard our budget segment on the radio and called our number to share her voice.

RE6ab51606acd5548285ee0ec02afc4fff.mp3
Would you pay higher taxes for better public services?
RE592cc55b49e6c6f7bd90216ce2acf340.mp3
What have you cut out of your personal budget?

Or stop by our Listening Post recording devices at Norman Mayer library in Gentilly and Joe W. Brown recreation center in New Orleans East. You can record your thoughts on our weekly topics and you might just hear your voice on the radio. 

Or follow us on Twitter: @LP_NOLA.

Credit Laine Kaplan-Levenson
The Listening Post reaches into all corners of the city, even quiet levee banks.

And, side note, we’ve got some sweet signs up around town-make sure you answer our community questions. Thanks to the New Orleans Community Print Shop for helping us with that!

Hit us up! We'll see you at the Listening Post.  

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