With the failure of Amendment 3 at the ballot box earlier this month, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called on lawmakers to find the money in the budget.
Some, however, insisted the cash just isn't there.
“We took a $100 million hit from the Revenue Estimating Conference, and we took at least a $400 million hit by the constitutional amendment not passing,” Senator Alan Seabaugh said.
He explained that with a half of a billion dollar budget hole, the legislature would not be able to give teachers more money.
However, the governor and the leaders of the House and Senate apparently have other plans.
"Governor Jeff Landry, Senate President Cameron Henry, and Speaker Phillip DeVillier to hold press conference on teacher pay raise," Landry's office announced.
It happens Tuesday at 11:30am at the Louisiana State Capitol.
Further details were not released.
Seabaugh says contrary to popular belief, public school teachers are NOT state employees; thus, their salaries are not set directly by the legislature.
“The State gives local school boards money to do with as they see fit. If they want to use that money for teacher pay raises, they can,” Seabaugh noted.
