A $25.6 billion state operating budget kicked in Sunday, setting in motion prison closures, higher education funding cuts and uncertainty for health-care services. The spending plan funds colleges, hospitals and other state services in a fiscal year that runs through June 30. The document is largely the version unveiled by Gov. Bobby Jindal earlier this year. With money short of the amount needed to keep state government services at their current level, the budget draws dollars from expected property sales and various funds to fill in the gaps. Still, cuts had to be made. “As a whole, there’s just going to be less services. But the critical services, I hope we’re going to continue to have those,” said state Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro and the budget bill’s sponsor. Tuition increases affecting more than 40,000 Baton Rouge college students will help higher education. However, the state’s public colleges and universities still must sustain $66 million in funding reductions.
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