BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana House’s budget committee wants to cap salaries for the state’s education superintendent and college leaders, arguing Monday the compensation has grown too fast and is out of line with other states in the region.

The Appropriations Committee backed a series of amendments to next year’s budget proposed by Rep. Simone Champagne, R-Jeanerette, to put limits on those salaries. In some cases, it could reduce pay packages by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“These salaries have gotten completely out of hand,” said Rep. Tom McVea, R-Jackson.

The pay of the education superintendent, university system presidents and college chancellors would be limited to no more than 10 percent above the regional average. The education superintendent would not be able to receive housing or car allowances, and the others’ would have those allowances capped to a percentage of what was paid last year.

Most immediately, the cap could affect the hiring of a new education superintendent because the position is vacant with the resignation of Paul Pastorek.

Read more: La. House budget committee backs caps for education superintendent, college leaders