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Landry seeks more money for vouchers Legislators express skepticism on expanding private school tuition program BY ALYSE PFEIL and PATRICK WALL Staff writers
Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration on Friday said it will ask the Legislature to roughly double Louisiana’s spending on its LA GATOR voucher program, which gives parents taxpayer money to pay private school tuition, poten-
tially repeating one of last year’s biggest political battles. “It’s always been a priority of Gov. Landry to expand our GATOR program,” Landry’s top budget official, Commissioner of Administration Taylor Barras, told state lawmakers Friday during a meeting about the governor’s budget proposal for next fiscal year.
But Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, who last year led the legislative opposition to Landry’s push for more LA GATOR funding, said he continues to have serious doubts about the program. In particular, he said he does not want families to use the public dollars to pay for tuition at low-performing private schools —
an apparent reference to Louisiana’s previous voucher program, where participating students had lower test scores than their peers in public school. “You can’t just give them money to stay in the school they’re in now,” he said. “The goal is for you to get out of the bad school.” The request for GATOR funding
is perhaps the most controversial piece of Landry’s plan for state spending. For the most part, the administration is asking agencies to hold their spending to roughly the same level as the current fiscal year, though it also highlighted new or increased funding it wants for a handful of areas. The Legislature will use Landry’s plan as the starting point for the
ä See VOUCHERS, page 5A
Governor says he was in on Greenland negotiations
PERFECT START
Questions surround his appointment as special envoy BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU gymnast Kailin Chio performs on the balance beam during the Tigers’ home opener against Kentucky on Friday. Chio scored a perfect 10 on the beam to lead the Tigers to a dominant victory over the Wildcats. The crowd of 13,516 was the largest for a home opener in program history. More on Friday’s victory in Sports, 1C.
President Donald Trump’s unexpected announcement just before Christmas that Gov. Jeff Landry would be his special envoy to Greenland suddenly thrust Landry into a potentially high-profile international position. It also elevated his visibility within Trump’s MAGA movement. But what is the governor’s role after Trump announced on Wednesday that he had “No one has reached the “framework” of a deal with NATO over Greencalled and land? said, ‘You “No one has called and said, have done a ‘You have done a great job. great job. We We don’t need you anymore,’” Landry said in an interview don’t need you Friday. anymore.’ ” He added that he attended a GOV. JEFF series of high-level meetings LANDRy on Thursday and Friday last week in Washington, D.C., with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials, including the U.S. ambassador to Denmark. “There were a number of conversations we had surrounding it,” Landry said. He declined to provide details but said a stronger relationship
ä See GREENLAND, page 7A
EBR begins storm preparations out of abundance of caution BY QUINN COFFMAN
Sid Edwards announced Friday the city-parish will begin winter storm preparations out of an abundance Despite updated weekend storm of caution. “While forecasts show slightly forecasts with lower chances of freezing rain for East Baton warmer temperatures, we’re takRouge Parish, Mayor-President ing precautions as the potential for
Staff writer
WEATHER HIGH 55 LOW 40 PAGE 8A
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winter weather impacts remains a risk,” Edwards said, standing alongside other city leaders. “We are ready to respond to any needs that may come up to ensure the safety of our citizens.” The East Baton Rouge Parish
school system also reacted with caution Friday, as it announced it is shifting to remote instruction on Monday, which, depending on the school, may be take-home work or online instruction. Other Baton Rouge-area districts had yet to an-
nounce their Monday operational plans. Southern University in Baton Rouge announced plans earlier to shift to remote classes. Edwards said 23,500 pounds of
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ä See STORM, page 7A
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