As Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards heads into his final year in office, he's preparing to deliver a budget proposal to state lawmakers.
The governor says inflation is eating into some of the state's spending plans.
"All of the infrastructure projects that we have in place now, that we've already spent some money on, they're coming in above the estimates because of inflation," the governor said.
On the bright side, Edwards said the state has a $728 million surplus. He says that money will help with these one-time expenditures.
"We're going to have to go back and 'plus-up' those projects with funding," said Edwards, "and there'll still be considerable funding opportunities left."
Edwards says the state is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to improve roads and ports.
The governor presents his budget to the legislature in February. Lawmakers meet for their regular session in April.
