News - Jindal touts 'Louisiana Way' in Shreveport

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Jindal touts 'Louisiana Way' in Shreveport
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 3:05pm

The Times' Bobbie Clark Reports
Photos compliments of The Times

If the federal government used the Louisiana way instead of the Washington way, the country would be in much better shape, Gov. Bobby Jindal said Friday.

Jindal was in Shreveport on Friday to address the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce about the economy, health care, higher education and the state budget.

"Washington wants to raise taxes, borrow money and print money," Jindal said. "We are not doing that in Louisiana."

Jindal cited the recent state budget for fiscal year 2011, where he said there were no additional cuts to higher education and protects critical health care services "without raising taxes on families and businesses."

"While revenues are down, we could simply raise taxes and place the burden on the backs of our people and businesses," he said. "That's the Washington way. In Washington, the only solutions seem to be more taxes, more spending and more borrowing."

Jindal said his administration has been able to keep Louisiana's economy a notch above the nation and South by keeping taxes low, reducing government spending and providing businesses with the tools they need to succeed in a global economy.

These policies have resulted in economic development wins that have created more than 35,000 new direct and indirect jobs, generating $4.6 billion in new capital investment, Jindal said.

Additionally, the impact on northwest Louisiana has been 2,964 new direct jobs, 3,352 new indirect

jobs and an estimated $943 million in new capital investment.

But that's not to say Louisiana doesn't have challenges, especially in health care.

Jindal said the state is working to transition the Louisiana Medicaid program from the current fee-for-service delivery system to two integrated care models — an option for an enhanced fee-for-service Coordinated Care Network, and another option which permits a Coordinated Care Network to choose to function as a prepaid integrated health network.

Additionally, Jindal said his budget has no cuts to Medicaid services or changes to eligibility requirements. The budget also replaces millions of the federal dollars the state lost due to the disproportionate share hospital program change with state sources of funding in the Office of Mental Health. MORE

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