As the Louisiana Senate debates the state's construction budget for next year, legislators continue to add more projects to the debate, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
The bill has a $350 million limit for new and continuing projects, but recent additions have put the legislation approximately $110 million over that budget. Senators and representatives will now have to debate and decide which projects are worth approving and which should be saved for another year.
In addition to the projects originally on the bill, House members added approximately $130 million several weeks ago. Most recently, the Senate has tacked on an additional $230 million worth of construction, which has put the bill well over the budget.
While the situation will require some untangling in the state legislature, it's good news for construction companies in the state of Louisiana, as the extra projects likely mean an uptick in construction jobs and available work over the next few years.
Potential projects include $50 million for the New Orleans Arena, $5.4 million for a new library at the University of New Orleans, $10 million for various health clinics across the state and $4.3 million for the Lighthouse of the Blind.
Many of the projects will eventually become bond issues for the public to vote on, although the arena construction is part of a new agreement between the city of New Orleans and Hornets owner Tom Benson.
Construction companies hoping to work on public projects will need to be able to keep costs down. One way to do this is by buying used construction equipment through the online auction site IronPlanet. All construction equipment sold through IronPlanet is backed by IronClad Assurance, which enables the buyer to view full inspection reports before they submit a bid.
