State’s politicians are playing a ‘Game of Thrones’ over teachers’ pay
13th May 2019 · 0 Comments
By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer
A curious game of chicken obsessed the Louisiana House of Representatives last week. Central to the fight was the desire to grant educators and school staff substantial pay raises. On the surface, the battle has seemingly been about how to pay for the hikes. Do we find $39 million in budget cuts, or use the dividend of prosperity and hope the economy does not turn the budget back into deficit?
That’s not what the fight has been about it all, though. Despite appearances, it has not been a game of chicken. It’s a ‘Game of Thrones’. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Cameron Henry wants to be Senate President after the autumn elections, and Gov. John Bel Edwards wants anything but that. Moreover, The LAGOP seeks to recapture the Executive Mansion, and the Republican legislative delegation has concluded that offering more generous on teacher pay raises than the Democratic Governor, while simultaneously playing “the fiscal responsibility” card neutralizes Edwards’ main reelection credential.
Last Thursday afternoon, the House voted 100-1 to give public elementary and secondary school teachers a $1,200 raise and support workers another $600, a bit more than the $1,000 and $500 levels backed by the Democratic Governor. Whereas Edwards predicated his increases on the surplus, the budget proposal crafted by House Republican leaders correspondingly eliminates $39 million in flexible block grant funding for districts that Edwards—and the state education board—want to cover other expenses.
The Governor’s originally favored proposal approved 6-1 three weeks ago by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, would have cut zero funding to pay for the slightly more modest salary increases. When the block grants were put on the chopping block, Edwards said, “Protecting the pay raise for Louisiana’s teachers and school support staff is my top priority in this Legislative session. This pay raise is long overdue;” adding however, “I strongly believe that the per-pupil amount increase is necessary to support our school systems and our teachers, who often spend money out of their own pocket to buy supplies for their classrooms. This is why we included an increase in the MFP for the school districts above and beyond the pay raise.“
In fairness, Henry has admitted that he does not oppose reconsidering the restoration of the $39 million in block grants, especially if the Governor’s current allies in the state Senate restore the grants — provided that is equal cuts are made elsewhere.
And that’s the rub.
A $34 billion state budget appears large enough to settle all concerns, but appearances deceive.
The vast majority of the budget is constituted of mandated federal funds. Less than 10 percent comprises Louisiana’s truly available discretionary budget, and in total House Bill 105 calls for spending almost $300 million more next fiscal year than this year, with $120 million in new spending for teacher and school support personnel pay raises—or about $20 million more than was requested for raises by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and Gov. John Bel Edwards. Hence, the argument for the $39 million in cuts comes more into focus, especially since the Henry’s crafted House budget spends all of the additional $119 million in general fund money made available by the current official revenue projection. (Other increases include $6 million more for TOPS and a $4 million boost for the Department of Motor Vehicles.)
Put another way, including all sources of revenue, the budget cuts more than $700 million in authority to spend federal and self-generated revenue, with $2 billion in excess authority unspent due to lack of funds. “We heard in the news that we were going to have the largest state budget in history,” Henry said. “Then you find out we have $2 billion in unspent authority that’s in that number. So it gives kind of a false impression of the size of our budget.”
And so, the House Appropriations Committee Chair enacts his balancing act. Should an agency collect more federal money or fees than budgeted, officials can still come to the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee during the year and ask to spend that money—such as $39 million in Block Grants. Clouding the conversation, while the teacher pay raises are technically one-time appropriations, they would still be permanent. Under Louisiana law teacher pay cannot be cut, so the new salary level could eventually become an unfunded mandate on the districts. Henry argues that by cutting the block grant, he is protecting school boards from a crushing financial burden if the fiscal picture in Baton Rouge plunges.
Maybe. Nevertheless, his brinksmanship with Edwards sends a message to the rising crop of conservatives who are running for the state Senate that Henry has the practical negotiating credentials to run the Upper House, even in the face of a hostile governor of the opposing party. Since there is more than half of the Senate that is term-limited, experience will be lacking in that body. John Alario shall exit, and a newcomer could easily step into the leadership role. At least that’s the argument as to why a rising House member should be preferred over the sitting Senators currently seeking the Presidency.
Henry is still smarting, by all accounts, at his failure to become Speaker of the House of Representatives nearly four years ago. His battle with Democratic Rep. Walt Legier ended up with the GOP compromise candidate of Taylor Barras in the job Henry craved. Using his condolence prize as head of the House Appropriations Committee, Henry has managed to be a thorn in the side of the Edwards Administration ever since. He salivates at the prospect of turning the entire Senate against the Democratic Administration.
Any Governor depends upon a compliant state Senate to temper the normally more conservative House. The Republican majority in the Upper Chamber increasingly makes that difficult, yet with Henry in command, a politician who already eyes his mentor Steve Scalise’s congressional seat upon the GOP whip’s retirement, a regal gubernatorial presence would be impossible for Edwards. Henry’s own ambition would necessarily thwart it. Every budget year would constitute a fight with both houses, and partisan majorities large enough do the previously unthinkable, override gubernatorial vetoes.
In recent months, it appeared that the House Appropriations Committee Chairman had been more focused on running for Senate President than the Senate itself. Recently, speaking of the independence of the lower chamber, Henry told Gannett news, “My goal is to make sure the Senate has the independence that the House has now.”
Comments like that led one of his potential rivals already in the Senate, Ronnie Johns (R-Lake Charles) to ironically comment, “There’s already a lot of talk among members and a lot of posturing. It’s going to be a crowded field.”
Along with Henry and Johns, Senators Bret Allain (R-Franklin), Page Cortez (R-Lafayette), Rick Ward (R-Port Allen), and Sharon Hewitt (R-Slidell) have already expressed interest in pursuing the presidency next year. With several, Hewitt especially, staking positions that are more conducive to working with the Governor, Henry’s obstructionist campaign comes more into focus — especially when contrasted with his rivals — who already hold seats in the Senate.
However, Henry has displayed not one campaign sign in Senate District 9 in recent months, nor has he hosted any public campaign event in his potential seat. Perhaps he doesn’t need publicity?
Pursuing the seat of the term-limited Conrad Appel, Cameron Henry’s House District 82 constitutes the heart of Appel’s Senate District 9, running its spine from Old Jefferson to Old Metairie. Currently, no Republican or Democratic rivals have announced from either the portion of the district in Orleans Parish’s Uptown/University area or in New Metairie. From Jefferson Avenue to Transcontinental, Henry stands as the only senatorial candidate — so far.
Therefore, upping the ante on John Bel Edwards on the teacher pay raise probably was aimed as much at his current constituents turning out to the polls for him on October 12 as the Senate Presidency next year. In Henry’s House seat on May 4, some of the most conservative precincts voted for the largest single millage in recent Jefferson Parish history to fund teacher pay hikes. Henry knows the fiery appeal of paying educators more to his electorate, even to his normally taxophobic constituents. Showing up the Governor on this popular issue is a good way to secure the Senate throne while making Edwards teeter on his.
It’s not the Targaryens versus the Lannisters, but it is a Game of Thrones.
This article originally published in the May 13, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
