East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards has proposed major budget cuts and possibly hundreds of layoffs for every city-parish department — except for police and firefighters.

The mayor presented a 2026 budget to Metro Council members Wednesday afternoon that would slash $15 million from the general fund — the city-parish's operational budget — by way of double-digit percentage cuts to agencies like the District Attorney's office, public works and more. Meanwhile, the Baton Rouge Police Department and Baton Rouge Fire Department had no money cut from their budgets.

Edwards pointed to public safety as a major priority, which is why BRPD and BRFD did not get cut, but called the city-parish's financial situation "dire."

"As far as us cutting, we are breaking the bone and sucking the m

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