BRADENTON, Fla. — Voters in Louisiana rejected a plan to boost transportation funding at the expense of the state's rainy day fund.
Amendment 1 would have limited the amount of revenue going into the rainy day fund to beef up available capital for transportation projects.
On the Oct. 24 ballot, 53% voted against the measure, which would have split the state’s budget stabilization fund in half and redirected up to $500 million a year toward road and bridge projects.
While supporters hailed its intent to chip away at $12 billion in backlogged transportation needs, opponents warned that it could reduce Louisiana’s fiscal flexibility and jeopardize the state’s credit ratings.
On the flip side of the election results, 53% of voters approved Amendment 2, giving the state treasurer the authority to invest idle cash in a Transportation Infrastructure Bank.
Of nine candidates vying to replace termed-out Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, voters sent State Rep. John Bel Edwards and U.S. Sen. David Vitter to a runoff on the Nov. 21 general election ballot.
Edwards, a Democrat, was the top vote getter with 40% of the ballots cast. Vitter, a Republican, received 23% of the votes.
For Lieutenant Governor, Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden now faces a runoff against former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser. Holden, a Democrat, took 33% of the vote to 30% for Nungesser, a Republican.
After the open primary, two Republicans will square off next month for attorney general as incumbent Buddy Caldwell faces Jeff Landry.
Two state officeholders handily won reelection.
State Treasurer John Kennedy, a Republican, scored 80% of the votes over his challenger to serve a fifth term, while Secretary of State Tom Schedler took 62% of the ballots and will now serve his second full term in his office.
