2019 LA Governor's race: on Budget & Economy


Eddie Rispone: Balance budgets, and build up reserves

As a businessperson, it always it always amazed me, how do we have a balance budget deficit? When state law says we have to have a balanced budget, we cannot have an unbalanced budget. How do you have a surplus when you raise taxes? Because it's the taxpayers' money, it is over-taxation. I'd look at it from a business standpoint, our budgets would be balanced like they supposed to be. And then we would figure out why we have we don't have the reserves inside that budget.
Source: Bayou Buzz Transcript of 2019 Louisiana Gubernatorial debate Sep 23, 2019

John Bel Edwards: We paid off billions of deficit; and we shouldn't go back

Q: Over the last four years, the state has gone from a multi billion dollar budget deficit to a multi million dollar surplus. Part of the reason was an increase in sales tax. Is it time to cut the burden on Louisiana taxpayers?

A: We came together and did the hard work necessary by focusing on cuts & savings, supported by a Republican legislature. We now are running surpluses because the economy is performing better. Last year, we did cut, by $650 million, the sales tax burden. And the worst thing we can do as a state is go back to a structural budget deficit that we just came out of that we had for the better part of 10 years, where we're now making investments.

Q: The sales tax though is about half a cent higher than it was when you took office?

A: That's correct. Four years ago.

Q: So would you find a way to cut taxes in a different area?

A: We don't agree that we should cut taxes until we know that we won't go back into a structural budget deficit.

Source: Bayou Buzz Transcript of 2019 Louisiana Gubernatorial debate Sep 23, 2019

Eddie Rispone: No specifics on budget cuts; try to control spending

Rispone said he would try to control spending. He said the state government wouldn't automatically grow under his leadership, but he also couldn't say what government funding he would cut. He said he's an "outsider" who is not familiar enough with state government to provide those specifics.
Source: Times-Picayune on 2019 Louisiana Gubernatorial race Mar 19, 2019

  • The above quotations are from 2019 Louisiana Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Budget & Economy.
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Candidates and political leaders on Budget & Economy:

Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Mar 21, 2020