LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Governor John Bel Edwards said Louisiana was facing the largest budget crisis in the state’s history.

The governor’s statement was made when the budget shortfall was thought to be around $750 million.

On Wednesday, that figure changed. The Revenue Estimating Conference issued newly revised numbers.

According to those numbers, the current year’s shortfall could reach beyond $800 million.

The REC projects $2 billion to be the forecast for next year’s shortfall.

Democratic State Representative Terry Landry, Sr. explained there are only two places left to cut that are not statutory protected – that’s higher education and public hospitals.

Landry is against more cuts:

“We only passed one tax last year and that was the cigarette tax.  We’re coming back to the cigarettes again and we’re going to tax them again. I don’t have a problem with that but we have to look at all entities and everything has to be on the table as to how we are going to utilize the tax credits and an increase in taxes. We can’t continue to pass it onto working people or poor people.”

Republican State Senator Fred Mills, Jr. says expenses and revenue have to be closely looked at.

“I think right now most of the calls I’m getting is saying look trim that budget as much as you can trim it. I’m open to some revenues, but you better trim this budget as lean as you can.  What’s the definition of lean?  I think we’ll all be talking about that,” Mills told KLFY’s Renee Allen.

Mills said on Sunday, February 14 at 4:00 p.m., the governor will address the Louisiana House and Senate to basically say: “this is what we’ve been dealt and here are my solutions.”

On Thursday, February 11 at 6:30 p.m. Governor Edwards will make a rare televised special address statewide to talk about what he calls the state’s historic budget problems.