Jindal administration to announce $129 million in cuts; colleges and ...

"I don't know if there was any fat left two or three years ago. But that didn't stop us from cutting." -- House Appropriations Chairman Jim Fannin

Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration will announce $129 million in budget cuts Friday aimed at making up a revenue shortfall in the past six months of the state's fiscal year. The cuts are expected to fall heaviest on the state's higher education and health care systems, which have already seen significant cuts in recent years, and come after the Louisiana Revenue Estimating Conference on Thursday dropped its estimates of how much money the state will bring in this year.

Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols said the governor's office had expected there would be a need to make mid-year cuts to the state's $25 billion budget and will present specifics this week. While the administration's proposal will be unveiled to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, Nichols said the cuts will not exceed regulations on how much the governor can cut agency budgets without legislative approval, meaning lawmakers will have no say in where the ax will fall.

With this round of cuts, Jindal will have enacted mid-year budget reductions in each of his five years in office in response to revenue shortfalls. And, based on another set of revised projections approved Thursday, next year's state budget, which was already facing a nearly $1 billion shortfall could be about $207 million tighter.

Nichols did not go into specifics about where the cuts will come Thursday. However, the only two areas of significant spending that are not protected by law or the state constitution are the state's colleges and health care programs. Those services have already been battered by previous cuts, both due reductions at the state level and because of a reduction in the state's federal reimbursement for Medicaid expenditures.

"The only thing that's off the table is raising taxes," Nichols said.

While legislators are constitutionally permitted to propose tax increases this year since the legislative session that starts in April is a biennial "fiscal session," Jindal administration officials have made it clear that they will veto revenue-raising bills that are not offset by lower tax rates. That is in line with previous years, when Jindal shot down tax increases and supported new tax exemptions.

Shortfall due to lower revenue from natural resources, sales and income taxes

This year's shortfall is driven by projections of lower than expected revenues from a variety of sources. The sales tax is expected to bring $173 million less than estimated, royalties from natural resources are projected to be $64 million less and individual income taxes are expected to come in $49 million less than budgeted. Those estimates are offset to some degree by areas where the state is expected to outperform previous projections such as taxes on fuel and corporations.

Mid-year budget shortfalls under Gov. Bobby Jindal

2012 - 2013: $129.2 million
2011 - 2012: $198 million
2010 - 2011: $106.7 million
2009 - 2010: $247.9 million
2008 - 2009: $341 million

But Office of Planning and Budget economist Manfred Dix warned that he is uncertain about his projections for corporate taxes, which he estimated will come in more than two times higher than expected. That estimate is based on this year's collections, which came in well above predictions, but Dix said it is difficult to say exactly how much they will bring in.

"In some cases I feel like I'm in a casino betting blind on corporate collections," Dix said, noting that he had "no clue" whether the coming year will see a repeat of this year's windfall.

In making its forecasts, the Revenue Estimating Conference is presented with projections prepared by two economists: one from the governor's Office of Planning and Budget and one from the Legislative Fiscal Office. The members of the board chose to go with the administration's more pessimistic projection. The fiscal office estimated a shortfall of about $104.6 million this year.

"Things don't look very rosy, but I suppose we should go with the worse numbers and hope for the best down the road," Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, said as he proposed using the more dire estimate.

The board -- made up of Alario, House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, Nichols and Louisiana State University economist Jim Richardson -- approved the new projection unanimously.

The new numbers suggest that this year, Louisiana will bring in roughly 1 percent less state revenue than last year.

Both Dix and Legislative Fiscal Office economist Greg Albrecht said their new projections did not take into account the impact of the budget stalemate in Washington, D.C. Should the country go over the so-called "fiscal cliff," a set of spending reductions and tax hikes that are set to automatically go into effect at the end of the year if an agreement is not reached, the state's budget situation could get far more dire.

Next year's budget gap grows to nearly $1.2 billion

The board also dropped its expectations for next year's revenue by $207 million. Combined with an already expected budget shortfall announced last month, that means the administration and lawmakers will have to close a nearly $1.2 billion gap when they get to work on the budget.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, gave a grim assessment of the situation after Thursday's meeting and said he saw no sign that either sales tax or income tax revenue would be improving in the near future.

"If we are creating a lot of jobs, the only thing I can conclude is that those jobs aren't paying what the previous jobs were paying," Fannin said, noting that income and sales tax revenue wasn't increasing in the face of improving unemployment numbers and recent announcements of new businesses coming into the state.

Asked whether there was any place in the budget that could absorb the cuts, Fannin said, "I don't know if there was any fat left two or three years ago. But that didn't stop us from cutting based on the Revenue Estimating Conference forecast."

Source: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/12/jindal_administration_to_annou.html

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Improve Energy Savings With A Whole-House View ? The Chronicle ...

As you know, the Cleveland area can get awfully cold during the winter. You can?t be blamed for blasting your heating system in an attempt to warm up. The good news is that you can give your heating system a break and improve energy savings around your home by following some of these tips:

• Service your HVAC system ? Before the bitter cold months of winter hit northeast Ohio, have your heating system inspected by?an expert technician. Making sure it?s working properly and efficiently will help lower heating bills.

• Insulation ??Insulating your home will help keep heat from leaking out or cold air from seeping in. Make sure to insulate your attic to keep rising warm air from escaping the areas of your home where it?s needed.

• Plug air leaks ? Check areas such as the frames around your windows and doors, electric outlets and recessed lighting for possible air leaks. Seal leaks with caulk, spray foam or weatherstripping, depending on the situation.

• Upgrade windows ? Do you have single-paned windows? If it?s practical, consider upgrading to double-paned windows to help prevent heat loss. In any event, use curtains and drapes as an extra layer of insulation during those cold winter nights.

• Upgrade water heater ? How old is?your water heater? If it?s an older model, odds are it?s not very efficient. Upgrade to an Energy Star approved model to reduce the amount of energy used to heat your water.

• Repair and insulate ductwork ? Have a professional contractor inspect your ductwork for air leaks and then repair them. Insulating your ducts will help prevent heat loss as well.

• Use ceiling fans ? Use ceiling fans to complement your heating and cooling systems. You know how they help cooling in the summer, but in the winter, if the blades are switched to turn clockwise, they will help spread warm air more evenly through your home, allowing you to lower your thermostat by a few degrees.

• Unplug appliances ? Not using that coffee maker or hairdryer? Simply turning them off may not keep them from absorbing a small amount power. Unplug appliances such as these when not in use. The same applies to cell-phone and camera chargers that aren?t currently charging anything.

For more information about how to improve energy savings in your Cleveland-area home, please contact us at?Geisel Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Western Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).? For more information about energy savings and other HVAC topics,?download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

For those Do it Yourselfers who would rather take control of your own indoor comfort, you can shop?our online store for replacement parts, products and accessories!

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Source: http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2012/12/14/improve-energy-savings-with-a-whole-house-view/

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Obama to meet Boehner on Thursday around 5:00 p.m.: official

Two-year-old Olivia Gillies was born with a potentially life-threatening?condition that caused her tongue to grow uncontrollably. Now, after her third surgery, she can finally smile, and doctors believe the dangerous symptom of her condition is under control. Gillies was born with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome, a genetic...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-meet-boehner-thursday-around-5-00-p-205056475--business.html

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Brain Pacemaker Helps Treat Alzheimer's Disease

First time accepted submitter Press2ToContinue writes "Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the use of a pacemaker-like device implanted in the brain to treat the symptoms of diseases like Parkinson's, or other maladies such as depression. For the first time in the US, surgeons at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland have used this technique to attempt to slow memory loss in a patient suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The fornix, a vital part of the brain that brings data to the hippocampus, is being targeted with this device. Essentially, the fornix is the area of the brain that converts electrical activity into chemical activity. Holes are drilled into the skull, and wires are placed on both sides of the brain. Then, the stimulator device pumps in small and unnoticeable electrical impulses upwards of 130 times per second. Half of the patients will begin the electrical treatment two weeks post-surgery, but the other half won't have their pacemakers turned on until a full year after the surgery to provide comparison data for the study."

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/nNYrulM1v48/story01.htm

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Unions Vow Political Payback On Michigan Right-To-Work Legislation

LANSING, Mich. -- With defeat in the Michigan Legislature virtually certain, Democrats and organized labor intend to make enactment of right-to-work laws as uncomfortable as possible for Gov. Rick Snyder and his Republican allies while laying the groundwork to seek payback at the polls.

Shellshocked opponents of the laws spent the weekend mapping strategy for protests and acts of civil disobedience, while acknowledging the cold reality that Republican majorities in the House and Senate cannot be stopped ? or even delayed for long by parliamentary maneuvers. Leaders vowed to resist to the end, and then set their sights on winning control of the Legislature and defeating Snyder when he seeks re-election in 2014.

"They've awakened a sleeping giant," United Auto Workers President Bob King told The Associated Press on Saturday at a Detroit-area union hall, where about 200 activists were attending a planning session. "Not just union members. A lot of regular citizens, non-union households, realize this is a negative thing."

Right-to-work laws prohibit requiring employees to join a union or pay fees similar to union dues as a condition of employment. Supporters say it's about freedom of association for workers and a better business climate. Critics contend the real intent is to bleed unions of money and bargaining power.

Hundreds of chanting, whistle-blowing demonstrators thronged the state Capitol last week as bills were introduced and approved hours later, without the usual committee hearings allowing for public comment. Even more protesters are expected Tuesday, when the two chambers may reconcile wording differences and send final versions to Snyder, who now pledges to sign them after saying repeatedly since his 2010 election the issue wasn't "on my agenda."

In Kalamazoo on Sunday, union protesters sang Christmas-themed songs attacking Snyder and Republican lawmakers and left a bag of coal outside the office of state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, a bill backer.

Republicans are betting any political damage will be short-lived. During a news conference with GOP leaders last week announcing their intent to press ahead with right-to-work measures, Snyder urged labor to accept the inevitable and focus on showing workers why union representation is in their best interest.

"Let's move forward, let's get a conclusion, let's get an answer and get something done so we can move on to other important issues in our state," he said.

On that point, at least, the governor won't get his way. Unions and their Democratic allies say this means war.

Allowing employees to opt out of financially supporting unions while enjoying the same wages and benefits as members undermines the foundation of organized labor, they contend. A UAW bulletin described it as "the worst anti-worker legislation Michigan has ever seen."

"You will forever remember the day when you thought you could conquer labor," Sen. Coleman Young II, a Detroit Democrat and son of the city's fiery late mayor, boomed during floor debate Thursday. "Be prepared to engage in the fight of your life."

But for all the defiant rhetoric, the opposition faces tough odds.

State law forbids repealing spending bills through referendums, and Republicans made the right-to-work measures immune by attaching a $1 million appropriation. So the only apparent way to nullify the policy, once enacted, will be to seize statehouse control through the ballot box.

Even after losing five House seats in November, Republicans will retain majorities in both chambers for the next two years ? during which time they expect voter attention to turn to other topics. They redrew district lines in their favor after the 2010 Census, boosting their long-term prospects.

Also, as Snyder noted, fewer than 20 percent of Michigan workers are union members. Organized labor rolls and influence have declined in recent years, emboldening Republicans to challenge unions even in their historic Rust Belt stronghold.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survived a recall attempt after curtailing collective bargaining for most public employees. After Indiana enacted a right-to-work law this year, voters in November gave Republicans a legislative majority so large they can conduct business without any Democrats present. Snyder and GOP lawmakers already had chipped away at Michigan union rights, even forbidding school districts from deducting dues from teachers' paychecks.

Another problem for opponents: Right-to-work has considerable voter support. A statewide phone survey of 600 likely voters conducted in late November by the Lansing firm EPIC-MRA found 54 percent favored the idea while just 40 percent opposed it, although they were evenly divided when asked whether Michigan should become the 24th state with such laws. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Arlan Meekhof, straining to be heard over jeering opponents in the chamber's gallery, argued last week that by enacting right-to-work, "we are announcing to the world that we are moving Michigan forward. We are for workplace fairness and equality and we are for job creation."

To go up against all those obstacles, unions and Democrats will need solid organization, steadfastness and a persuasive case.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, who as a state legislator in the 1960s sponsored the labor law that right-to-work measures would overturn, called for a "massive education campaign" to remind voters of unions' role in building the middle class and explain how the new policy will weaken their ability to bargain for good wages and benefits.

"What's at stake is the cooperative, constructive labor-management relations that have ripened over the last 15 to 20 years," Levin said. "This governor is essentially saying that instead of collaboration, it's going to be dog-eat-dog."

Michigan Education Association President Steve Cook said Republicans pushed the one issue guaranteed to unite an often fractious labor movement.

Activists have filed a lawsuit claiming the state Open Meetings Act was violated when police temporarily barred doors to the Capitol during last week's debate. Other legal challenges are being considered, opponents said. Union members distributed leaflets Saturday at a college basketball game in the Upper Peninsula city of Marquette.

That's only the beginning, Cook said. While declining to discuss specific plans, he vowed labor would fight hard to unseat right-to-work supporters in 2014 and might try to recall some legislators even earlier.

"Whoever votes for this," Cook said, "is not going to have any peace for the next two years."

___

Associated Press writer Ed White contributed to this report from Detroit.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/09/unions-michigan-right-to-work_n_2268682.html

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Limbaugh: Kristol Has "Decided That Retreat Is The Way Forward" For GOP

RUSH LIMBAUGH: "William Kristol, Editor of the Weekly Standard, seems to have decided that retreat is the way forward for the Republican Party. In a new editorial, the Fox commentator essentially advises the GOP to throw in the towel on the fiscal cliff talks and more or less accept Obama's terms. In the piece, a dour Kristol details all the shock and depression that Republican insiders feel after losing an election they all thought was in the bag for Team Romney. He then goes on to complain that the GOP's legislative scene isn't any better than its failed electoral scheme.

"Even the fact that the Republicans still control the House is cold comfort for Kristol. Worst of all, he grouses, the GOP has no 'proposal for averting the fiscal cliff.' So, what to do? Maybe just 'acquiesce' to Obama and be done with it?"

###

The Democrats want more money to expand entitlements. They don't want any entitlement reform. There is no "make the system solvent" to them. The system isn't broken. There's nothing wrong except entitlements aren't big enough. The problem, as far as the Democrats are concerned, is that people who can afford it aren't paying enough to support them and prop them up. There's no way to split this baby. There just isn't. Bill Kristol said the Tea Party wouldn't mind if a few millionaires pay a couple percent more in taxes. So Bill Kristol, whether he is aware of it or not, is signing on to the death warrant of the Republican Party.

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/12/06/limbaugh_kristol_has_decided_that_retreat_is_the_way_forward_for_gop.html

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North-east Japan quake rattles same fault as last year

The large earthquake today 245 kilometres off the east coast of Japan involved the same fault as in last year's devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which killed 15,000 and wrecked the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility.

The latest quake, of magnitude 7.3, struck at 5.18 pm Japanese time and was centred 160 kilometres southeast of the epicentre of the Tohoku quake.

Reports spoke of buildings swaying violently in Tokyo and in many cities along the east coast. There have been no reports of casualties, although evacuations were ordered in some cities.

A tsunami 1 metre high washed ashore at 6 pm Japanese time in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, a region which suffered severe damage last year. But tsunami warnings along the east coast of Honshu island from the far north down to Tokyo were lifted around two hours after the quake.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said that all nuclear facilities, including Fukushima, were undamaged.

"Same fault zone"

Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey (USGS) National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, told New Scientist that today's quake originates from the same fault zone as the Tohoku quake. "It appears to be at the same interface, where the Pacific plate moving towards Japan is diving beneath the Okhotsk plate," says Baldwin.

According to Baldwin, the quake is one-fiftieth the size of the magnitude 9 Tohoku quake, which released 350 times as much energy. By mid-morning UK time, USGS had detected five aftershocks, the largest of which was of magnitude 6.2.

He says there is always a possibility that the quake could be the prelude to an even larger one. "But as a rule, most aftershocks are smaller than the first."

Baldwin stresses the extreme seismic activity around Japan, which straddles four continental plates all rubbing against one another. "Since 1978, there have been 15 quakes of magnitude 7 or higher," he says. "These happen pretty regularly."

Brian Baptie of the British Geological Survey (BGS) agrees that aftershocks are likely to be smaller, but notes that the devastating quake in 2011 was preceded a few days earlier by a magnitude-7 quake in the same zone. Whether large quakes trigger other "megaquakes" through a geological domino effect is hotly debated.

The BGS has produced a map showing the epicentres of the Tohoku event and today's quake.

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