Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne’s platform in his bid to become Louisiana’s next governor calls for taking a closer look at the executive budget, protecting higher education funding and creating a plan to accept Medicaid expansion money.

Dardenne, a Republican, told the American Press editorial board Wednesday that he would appoint a task force “on day one” to have a plan ready within 30 to 45 days to take the Medicaid expansion money. He said the money should be taken with a waiver, not under the present rules, to ensure the 90 percent federal and 10 percent state match.

“I want to make sure we are protected on the back end if the feds don’t do what they say they’re going to do,” Dardenne said. “And, more importantly, I think we need to build into our acceptance of that money.”

Dardenne said Gov. Bobby Jindal rejected the Medicaid expansion dollars on the outset “for political reasons.” Because of that, he said there was no “legitimate inquiry” on whether to take the money. Because the state is “still brand new” in the public-private hospital partnerships, he said it’s important to have the flexibility to use new Medicaid dollars and be responsible to taxpayers.

Dardenne said higher education will be the “top priority” of his administration, but that the state cannot “undo a lot of the damage that’s been done over the past several years.”

“We’re going to fund higher education first with state general fund dollars that are not already dedicated,” he said. “We can stop the occurrence of saying to the public and to the universities that you’re on the chopping block.”

Dardenne said the state has doled out its money “too much across the board” instead of funding by priority.

“In times of budget stress, you reward inefficient programs (and) punish efficient programs,” he said. “I don’t think we can continue to do that anymore.”

When asked about finding money for the state over the short term, Dardenne said that “there aren’t a lot of quarters in the couch.” He said he would reduce the size of the governor’s office and the Division of Administration, along with other efforts.

“When the governor submits the executive budget, there are not a lot of details about what’s been built into that budget over the years,” he said. “You just see the totals for the agencies. We start with some scrutiny about what’s really in there.”

Dardenne said he would also combine the state Office of Elderly Affairs with the state Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dardenne said he would have signed into law the legislation that would have otherwise frozen TOPS. Jindal vetoed it. Dardenne said TOPS needs to be sustained, but that something must be done to prevent automatic growth.

Dardenne said there is a lack of public interest in the upcoming election. He said that, coupled with an overall frustration with government, could lead to low voter turnout.

He said TV ads criticizing him for taking a $700 monthly car allowance are “the most ridiculous” of all the negative ads against him. Dardenne said statewide officials are entitled to have a state car or take the allowance.

“I decided not to get a $45,000 or $50,000 SUV or whatever I would have gotten … and said I’ll just keep my car and drive myself,” he said. “I won’t go to fill up my gas tank at the state pump because state taxpayers pay for that gas.”

Dardenne said he does not support the city of New Orleans removing any historical monuments, but that the state Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism cannot do anything about it because they are on city property.

The other candidates running for governor are U.S. Sen. David Vitter and Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, both Republicans. State Rep. John Bel Edwards, of Amite, is the lone Democrat in the race.

(Rick Hickman/American Press)

Rick Hickman