Alario calls state budget crisis ‘toughest I’ve seen’

Louisiana Senate President John Alario has served in the Legislature more than four decades, but he can’t remember a bigger budget crisis than the ones lawmakers will face when the Legislative Session begins April 13.

“It’s the toughest one I’ve seen,” he said Monday.

Colleagues will be looking to Alario, R-Westwego, for answers, but the Senate president said those aren’t likely to come until the session gets underway.

“The truth is most solutions will happen once we get back (to Baton Rouge) and everybody is in the same building — either one on one or in groups,” he said. “I don’t have a golden plan. If I did we’d have already done it.”

Other Senate leaders said colleagues in both the Senate and the House, where Alario served two terms as speaker, believe Alario can build the coalitions needed to pass legislation to mitigate the looming $1.6 billion budget hole.

“I definitely think members are confident in President Alario’s ability to seek and find solutions,” said Sen. Neil Riser, R-Columbia, president of the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee.

“He’s been here before,” said Sen. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee who served with Alario in the House. “He’s prepared for this type of crisis, and everyone knows that.”

Alario said solutions will almost certainly come through a combination of measures, including reducing or eliminating some some tax credits and budget cuts.

“Certainly the tax credits are on the radar screen, but it won’t be easy,” he said. “People don’t realize how much impact the credits have until they’re taken away. But I also think (members) want to find ways to keep from devastating higher education and health care.

“I have faith in democracy. Reasonable people can come together and find solutions. They may not be 100 percent of what everyone wants, but that’s probably a good thing.”

Follow Greg Hilburn on Twitter @GregHilburn1