Edwards calls for teacher pay raises amid big surplus

By Rebecca Chaisson on Tuesday, April 11, 2023
  • Gov. John Bel Edwards spoke to both the House and Senate at the start of what is expected to be the last legislative session of his eight years in office. (Photo by Francis Dinh/LSU Manship School News Service)
    Gov. John Bel Edwards spoke to both the House and Senate at the start of what is expected to be the last legislative session of his eight years in office. (Photo by Francis Dinh/LSU Manship School News Service)

    Gov. John Bel Edwards joined lawmakers at the start of the regular session Monday to outline his agenda in his final state of the state address and call on lawmakers to give pay raises of $3,000 to teachers and $1,500 to support workers. The state has a $1.6 billion surplus due to floods of federal relief money and increased revenue from a temporary 0.45% sales tax increase. One of the big debate…