A powerful legislative leader described here Tuesday a request by New Orleans Charity hospital for a $4,547,235 increase in salaries for the next two years as "out of the question."
Sen. Charles E. Tooke, Shreve-port, said the "money just isn't there" for the requested increase presented to the joint legislative fiscal committee. Sen. Tooke is committee vie e-chairman and chairman of the Senate finance committee.
Several Orleans legislators spoke in defense of the request. The proposed increase was contained in a $23,871,529 Char-ity hospital budget for the next biennium presented to the committee which is making an advance study of budgets to be presented to the state Legislature.
The total Charity hospital budget asked for the next two years would Tbe an increase of $5,632,301 over the amount spent during the present fiscal year.
L. A. Millett, hospital secretary-treasurer, said the hospital would run a deficit this fiscal year of about $200,000.
Discussing the new, increases asked for salaries, Millet told the committee that the hospital had a 62.35 per cent labor turnover last year because of "inadequate salaries."
