Office of the Secretary

DNR Secretary Angelle announces mid-year budget cuts

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Scott Angelle has announced that the department will be cutting more than $375,000 in previously budgeted spending to support mid-year, across-the-board budget reductions to all agencies.
 
To achieve those savings, Angelle is implementing a hiring freeze on four budgeted positions within the Office of the Secretary, for a total savings of more then $377,000 for the current budget year. Those positions will remain frozen for the next budget year, as well.

Under an executive order issued by Governor Bobby Jindal, all budget units are to receive the lesser of either a 7.56 percent reduction of state general fund dollars or a 3 percent reduction of all means of financing. In the case of DNR, 7.56 percent of its approximate $4.9 million general fund allocation would amount to $375,000.

“Just as citizens throughout our nation and our state have had to streamline their spending and set priorities, so has state government,” Angelle said. “My staff and I continually seek new opportunities to make our department more efficient and to get the most out of the public dollars we are entrusted with while maintaining our high level of service.”

Angelle said a key component of the budget reduction was to ensure that the spending cuts were sustainable into the future.

“Following the lead of Governor Jindal, we want to make changes in spending that will create savings not only now, but in future years,” Angelle said.