Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1989-06-02

Duration: 00:27:42

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1989 | Roemer, Buddy | STATE BUDGET

Contributors:

• Zewe, Charles Host
• Nachman, Karen Reporter
• Jordan, Jay Interviewee
• Sumrall, Herb Interviewee
• Clausen, Sally Interviewee
• Kennedy, John Neely Interviewee
• McLeod, William Speaker
• Picard, Cecil Interviewee
• Reilly, Sean Interviewee
• Scogin, Ed Interviewee
• Swearingen, Lawson Interviewee
• Jumonville, J.E. Interviewee
• Jefferson, William Interviewee
• Bares, Allen Interviewee
• Kelly, Don Interviewee
• Roemer, Buddy Speaker
• Edwards, Edwin Interviewee
• Juneau, Dan Interviewee
• Mouton, Sonny Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 2, 1989, features Charles Zewe and Karen Nachman reporting on the seventh week of the 1989 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Zewe first reports on the week’s headlines, including: interviews with Jay Jordan of the Louisiana State Troopers Association and Herb Sumrall of State Civil Service on the State Troopers Association filing a lawsuit and complaint with State Civil Service for the withholding of merit pay; interviews with Commissioner of Higher Education Sally Clausen and John Kennedy, special counsel to Governor Roemer, on the college desegregation plan put together by the federal court’s special master; and State Senator William McLeod speaking on the Senate floor on a bill guaranteeing free college tuition to students who meet the requirements. Next, Nachman reports on the state legislators’ high frustration level with Governor Buddy Roemer and his handling of the $702 million state budget deficit. Her report includes interviews with: State Senator Cecil Picard; State Representative Sean Reilly; State Representative Ed Scogin; State Senator Lawson Swearingen; State Senator J.E. Jumonville; State Senator William Jefferson; Senate President Allen Bares; State Senator Don Kelly; and former Governor Edwin Edwards. Her report also includes highlights of Governor Roemer announcing his new five-step tax plan. Lastly, Zewe conducts an in-studio interview with Dan Juneau, the president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), and former State Senator Sonny Mouton. They discuss: the confusion at the state capitol; the state of the economy; the Senate’s bad relationship with Governor Roemer; Governor Roemer’s mishandling of the defeat of his tax reform plan by the people; and their solutions for the state’s current budget deficit.