The Latest: Edwards: ‘It is not a great day for the state’

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Latest on the final day of the special legislative session (all times local):

7:15 p.m.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said lawmakers fell short of what they needed to do to balance Louisiana’s budget.

While lawmakers largely reached a tax deal to close this year’s shortfall, they didn’t agree on a mix of tax hikes that would fill all the gaps in the budget for the financial year that begins July 1.

Senators estimate the state’s budget gap for next year - after the taxes passed - could be as large as $800 million. The governor said that will leave public colleges and health services at risk of deep cuts.

Edwards said: “We could have done better. It is not a great day for the state of Louisiana.”

He criticized a “lackadaisical attitude” from some lawmakers in addressing the budget problems.

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6:40 p.m.

Senate President John Alario said he was disappointed with the outcome of the special session.

The long-time lawmaker choked up and apologized to senators as the session wrapped up, saying: “That’s not the way to conduct the people’s business.”

Lawmakers passed tax bills in a flurry of last-minute votes that caused confusion about where it all wrapped up.

This year’s budget was largely balanced, but next year’s budget is short $800 million of what is needed to continue government services and programs.

Alario, a Republican who has served for decades in the Legislature, said the House delayed final compromises on measures until the final minutes of the session. And he accused some lawmakers in the House of “playing games.”

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6:05 p.m.

Lawmakers have reached a deal that bails out this year’s budget and keeps colleges and health services from immediate deep cuts.

But the tax agreement struck in the final minutes of the special session leaves next year’s budget short of the money needed to keep them from the threat of hefty slashing on July 1.

Estimates are next year’s budget could have a gap up to $800 million of what is needed to keep all programs and services operating. Lawmakers already are talking about another possible special session.

To make the numbers work this year, lawmakers agreed to boost state sales taxes and to temporarily strip off many sales tax exemptions. Gov. John Bel Edwards, the House and Senate couldn’t agree on tax hikes to bridge all of next year’s shortfalls.

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11:15 a.m.

House Speaker Taylor Barras is urging his colleagues in the House to reach an agreement to balance this year’s budget and next year’s spending plan without deep cuts.

The Republican leader of the House spoke Wednesday morning on the final day of the special legislative session, before negotiations moved behind closed doors.

Lawmakers have said they are close to striking a deal on closing this year’s budget gap with taxes, but remain far apart on filling holes in next year’s budget for the financial year that begins July 1.

Barras told the House: “We cannot leave here tonight without solving the problem that I believe could be catastrophic.”

He said lawmakers can’t go home without addressing both years of the budget.

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11 a.m.

Senate President John Alario says he’s “not confident” that lawmakers will reach a tax deal that will bail out the budgets for this year and next year.

On the final day of a special budget-rebalancing session, Alario said the House and Senate were close on striking an agreement that will close the gap for this year without damaging reductions to government services.

But he said lawmakers remained far apart Wednesday morning of agreeing on a fix for the shortfall in the financial year that begins July 1.

Lawmakers and Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration estimate they are still short anywhere from $500 million to $1 billion of the money to balance next year’s spending plans.

Negotiations continue in a session that must end by 6 p.m.

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9 a.m.

Louisiana’s special legislative session is entering its final hours with people who rely on the state for services waiting to see if Gov. John Bel Edwards and lawmakers will broker a tax deal to stave off hefty budget cuts.

The 25-day session must end Wednesday by 6 p.m.

Lawmakers opened the session facing a shortfall estimated to reach $900 million for this budget year, and a gap estimated to top $2 billion in the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Edwards and lawmakers appear to have agreed to $400 million in patchwork financing and more than $160 million in spending reductions.

But they have not agreed on enough taxes to fill the remaining holes so far.

Lawmakers say they’re optimistic a deal will be reached.