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Semi OT- New Louisiana Gov. Threatens to Cancel LSU Football

Knight Shift

Legend
May 19, 2011
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We complain about how bad we have it in NJ. But this guy is off the rails. Would guess LSU makes lots of $$$$. Instead of threatening LSU football, he should be looking to tax it!

I could see a Gov. Sweeney trying the same tactic.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ax-hikes-or-lsu-football-could-be-sacked.html

Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards is suggesting the legendary Louisiana State University football team’s 2016 season might be canceled -- and other doomsday consequences -- unless the GOP-led legislature swiftly passes a package of tax increases to help close a looming $940 million budget shortfall.

Edwards, who took office just last month, made the suggestions Thursday night in a rare, state-wide TV address.

Among the worst-case scenarios, he said, is that college campuses would be forced to close in April, resulting in student-athletes receiving grades of “incomplete” on their report cards, making them ineligible for the fall 2016 season.

"That means you can say farewell to college football next fall," Edwards said in the address.

The warning about the LSU Tigers football program, which has won three national championships, captured most of the headlines.

But Edwards’ additional warnings about potential deep cuts to health care and other public services rattled Louisiana residents as well as Republicans and others in the state legislature, which will convene in a rare Sunday session to address the budget issue.

"Gov. Edwards is proposing to implement the largest tax increase in the history of Louisiana," state GOP Treasurer John Kennedy said in a televised response to the Edwards' address. "It will wreck our economy, already fragile."

Edwards’ tax package includes nine proposed hikes including increases on sales and personal income taxes.

The governor’s office said Thursday the budget gap for this fiscal year, which ends June 30, has now reached $940 million. And the state purportedly will face a $2 billion shortall when the new budget begins July 1.

Edwards also suggested that cuts to higher education would hurt all Louisiana families beyond just the possible shuttering of campuses, saying the state's popular TOPS college scholarships could run out of money.

He also appeared to suggest Thursday that state GOP lawmakers and others should be giving more immediate attention to the budget and his plan to cut services and increase taxes to resolve the shortfalls.

"These are not scare tactics,” Edwards said. “This is reality."
 
Next headline in Louisiana is going to read 'New Louisiana Governor Extradited Forever - Deemed Insane!'
 
This was on here a few days ago....simple politics, threaten sports to get the funding.
 
Part of the 20,000 ticket thread, but not widely discussed. I pretty much feel this is politics, but it highlights the financial issues at a state funded University system that needs to be resolved. Last thing to go at lsu will be football.
 
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Jesus Shift it's political bullshit-speak, that's all, my LSU boys have been laughing for days now. He's trying to get a 22% tax on tobacco products and this is one of his "scare tactics."
 
Jesus Shift it's political bullshit-speak, that's all, my LSU boys have been laughing for days now. He's trying to get a 22% tax on tobacco products and this is one of his "scare tactics."
"These are not scare tactics,” Edwards said. “This is reality."

Everything on the internet and politicians say is true, so I took that last statement to the bank. o_O
 
A telling sign of the over emphasis put on college football, particularly in SEC states, is that the Governor is talking about the effect that closing colleges due to funding problems in April will have on LSU football in the fall, instead of focusing on the fact that thousands of students won't be able to graduate in May, or on the thousands of staff that will be laid off. No, scaring football fans is the way to get things done down in Louisiana.
 
Hmm

I guess it's just a big coincidence that Jindal, Walker, and Christie all vigorously pushed their state universities into financial peril
 
There's a Penn State thread about the Pa governor threatening to cut Penn State state subsidies. All the states just having a difficult time balancing the budgets.
 
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