State legislators say they face significant challenges in handling the 2012-13 state budget, but are determined to listen to constituents and make financial decisions with Louisiana's overall future in mind.

State Sen. Mike Michot noted that the state budget hit about $32 billion in the years following hurricanes Katrina and Rita as federal money and insurance dollars flowed into the state. But that trend hasn't continued since then because of recent deficits, the short-term nature of much of those funds and the downturn in the national economy.

"A lot of people are concerned about Washington policies and politics," Michot said during a Wednesday luncheon sponsored by the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and Acadiana Regional Alliance. "Here, we are forced to live within our means. We can't borrow our way out. It has been challenging, and certainly the future will be no different."

State Rep. Page Cortez said he sees the state budget as being divided into three "buckets" — federal dollars, self-generated revenues and the state general fund. But many of those dollars, particularly from the general fund, are dedicated to K-12 education, higher education and medical-related expenses, leaving little for other uses.

State Rep. Joel Robideaux said one key area he is focused on is reforming the state's pension fund, which he says is drastically under-funded.

"Retirement benefits must be paid before anything else," Robideaux said.

"It's just so unsexy of a political topic that it is unpopular to fix. There are no easy answers. It's political suicide for a lot of people in a lot of areas of the state."

Despite the challenges, Robideaux said he and other members of the Acadiana delegation don't make fiscal decisions lightly, and do take constituents' concerns into consideration before their final votes.

The legislators and those in attendance also received a motivational pep talk from UL head football coach Mark Hudspeth, who described an early pre-season drill where team members and assistant coaches pulled a lengthy rope in opposite directions before all gathering on one side and pulling it together.

"That rope comes flying across the field," Hudspeth recalled. "It just goes to show that when you pull together, everybody wins "» That rope goes everywhere with us, and I tell our team that the other team is trying to take that rope away from them and they need to fight for it."

Hudspeth also encouraged attendees to remain committed to teamwork and their goals as they move forward.

"Whatever you do, do it with passion and do it with enthusiasm," he said. "That energy is contagious."