Editor’s Note: A guest post from Rep. John Schroder (R-Mandeville), who is also a candidate for Treasurer in this fall’s special election.

The Governor’s special session ‘plan’ to balance the budget isn’t really a plan at all.

Over two-thirds of the Governor’s plan ($200 million +) uses one-time money to balance the budget.

Once again, the state is spending more money than it takes in and history clearly demonstrates that spending one-time money to camouflage our spending problem is a failed business model that leads to higher taxes. You cannot fix our state’s spending problem by placing the burden on the taxpayers. You cannot tax your way into prosperity. You just have to spend less than you take in. Prioritize the programs and spend accordingly. Yes, that means some programs will be eliminated. If it’s not a critical service it has to be prioritized as such.

When are we going to admit that our state budgeting process is structurally broken?

We now have some of the highest sales taxes in America, yet we find ourselves in a $300 million mid-year deficit and a $400 million deficit for 2018. It’s not a revenue problem. It’s a spending problem. Families all across Louisiana are having to make difficult choices regarding their household budgets. They have no choice but to figure out their priorities and control their spending. It’s time politicians in Baton Rouge do the same.

Nothing in the Governor’s plan addresses spending and prioritizing. Nothing. The budget must be built around what we can afford and not what we want.

The taxpayers deserve better than this. Louisiana deserves better than this.