VIDALIA — The capital outlay package and a few other bills passed in the Louisiana Legislature and awaiting approval by the governor could send nearly $20 million in funding to projects in and affecting Concordia Parish.

But, with a budget to balance, it’s likely the overall package will see cuts by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Local leaders just hope the governor keeps his scissors away from Concordia.

House bill 2

Along with Jindal’s administration, the House and Senate submitted the $4 billion multiyear construction budget for parks, sewage and water projects and economic development measures.

The bill, however, includes $120 million more than the state can afford to spend on new construction projects.

About one-third of the bill outlines spending of federal money and state fees or taxes dedicated to specific projects like road repairs and highway expansions.

The projects are rated from priority 1, which are first in line for funding, to priority 4, which will be funded later.

A large portion of the measure includes continuing projects that already have been approved in previous years for direct cash lines of funding.

High atop the lists of both Sen. Neil Riser, R-Columbia, and Rep. Andy Anders, D-Vidalia, in lieu of seeking state funding for Concordia Parish, was the Vidalia slackwater port.

The Vidalia port was allocated $5 million in capital outlay funds in the bill. That includes $1 million for development in priority 2 funds, and $4 million in priority 5 funding.

The 40-acre facility has already completed phase one of construction, which includes an access road from the port to Louisiana 131.

The remainder of the project, phases two and three, focuses on construction of the actual port — including a loading pad and structures for barges to tie off and load and unload from the river.

Riser said securing state funds for the project was crucial for the port to move forward.

“It takes both state and federal money to move the project forward, so we had to make sure we allocated the state monies first,” Riser said. “This is truly a regional project because it will create jobs in the whole area, not just Vidalia, Ferriday or Concordia Parish.

“It’s a far reaching project and something that will bring a lot more industries to the area.”

As chairman of the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee, Riser said he was able to keep a close eye on the port funding and stress its importance to his colleagues and Jindal.

“Some projects on that list are just not feasible, but the port is not one of those,” Riser said. “We sat down and looked at the port project and just made the decision to move forward with it.”

Both Riser and Anders agreed it took both of them working together to make sure Concordia Parish remained on that funding list.

“When it leaves one chamber, it goes to the other side, so Sen. Riser and I worked together to keep the ball rolling on funding for Concordia,” Anders said.