TOPS GETS SUPPORT- HOSPITALS DON'T - Louisiana’s House Appropriations Committee met in Baton Rouge yesterday to address funding the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, the popular scholarship program known as TOPS. The committee voted to fully fund TOPS given a recent revelation that the state’s budget shortfall will be lower than first anticipated as it’s been projected some $350 million dollars more in the budget due to Federal Tax reform, a better state economy, and higher oil prices.
Rep. Franklin Foil (Republican from Baton Rouge) crafted the amendment to allocate a majority of the $350 million to TOPS and GO GRANTS, a needs-based financial aid program. "I think it's important now since students are making decisions to send a message to our students that it's our priority to fully fund TOPS and Go Grants moving forward," he said.
But not everyone was on board with this as the question of what about other priorities …such as Safety-Net Hospitals was broached as current funding would not sustain operations. Rep. Gary Carter (D-
New Orleans), expressed his concerns about massive cuts facing the Department of Health. "Your point," he said, "is that it's more of a priority that we fund TOPS than it is that we fund these emergency charity hospitals that we have throughout the state of Louisiana."
The state's private partners---those who manage the safety-net hospitals in New Orleans and Lafayette have threatened to close if they're under-funded, such a move would jeopardize access to health care and graduate medical education in Louisiana. All but one Republican backed the spending plan, which was approved with a 17-6 vote, while all Democrats voted against it. Democrats said the approved amendment will give parents and students false hope because they don't believe the allocation to TOPS will stand as the bill winds its way through the legislative process. The bill now moves to the full House, where the floor debate is scheduled for Thursday.
