forgotston.com

Truckload of LA GOP directives

Mark Ballard’s column in the Sunday Advocate is about the sudden change in the “Fiscal Hawks”/Democrats budget plan.

Initially, the plan targeted many existing tax exemptions for reduction by 15%. That part of the plan was suddenly dropped.

Ballard explains that the sudden change was a result of thousands of “robo calls” from the LA Republican Party and other groups to Republican leges.

Jason Dore, Executive Director of the LA GOP explained the message of the calls: They reminded Republican legislators that the party’s Prime Directive is “no new taxes”…. Sunday Advocate, May 19, 2013.

Bobby Jindal also proposed, during the current lege session, a massive tax increase.  According to Jindal’s point man on the tax increase, Tim Barfield, businesses would see their taxes increase by $500 Million mostly via a new tax on services.

Despite the tax increase, there were no “robo calls” to Republican leges from the LA GOP opposing the tax.  To the contrary, the LA GOP posted on Facebook a call to support the massive tax increase.

Also, this session, a constitutional amendment was proposed to raise $150 Million via a new statewide property tax.  Businesses in Louisiana would have borne about 80% of the tax increase.

Despite the tax increase, there were no “robo calls” from the LA GOP reminding Republican leges about the LA GOP’s “Prime Directive” is “no new taxes.”

It appears that whether LA GOP opposes or supports new taxes is determined by who proposes the taxes. That’s not a directive – that’s hypocrisy.

C.B.

1 CB 7:00 am

How our leges see us voters

One of the few things that almost all voters in Louisiana agree on is that we have too many elections.

The voters’ dislike of the never-ending stream of elections annually has manifested itself in poorer and poorer voter participation.

Poor memory?

The matter of too many elections and dismal turnout of voters has been discussed often by the leges. They even eliminated a couple of the annual elections.

Despite those previous discussions, the leges appear to suffer from poor memories.

Thursday, the House and Governmental Affairs Committee, without objection, approved HB 522 calling for a special statewide election for October 19 of this year.

The only thing that will be on the statewide ballot this fall will be proposed constitutional amendments.

$4.3 Million wasted

Not only is another unnecessary election being held, it will cost us taxpayers an extra $4.3 Million dollars not previously budgeted.

If the leges don’t approve this election, the vote on the amendments will be held, in conjunction with the statewide Congressional elections in the fall of 2014.

This waste of our hard-earned tax dollars is particularly egregious in light of the state’s drastic cuts to higher education and healthcare.

How did your lege vote?

The legislation calling the election was approved without a single objection from the House and Governmental Affairs Committee members.

To see a list of the committee members who supported the special election and $4.3 Million expenditure go here.

Poor priorities

It was especially interesting that Rep. Steve Pugh of Ponchatoula, who claims to be a supporter of Southeastern Louisiana University and Lallie Kemp Hospital here in Tangipahoa Parish, decided that another special election was more important than funding for these two institutions.

This action is another example of the fact that the state doesn’t have a revenue problem, but a spending problem.  Poor decisions like this one are found throughout the state budgets.

Action needed

HB 522 next goes to the House Floor for consideration by the entire House. If you believe that $4.3 Million could be better spent on other state needs contact your Representative and tell them to vote AGAINST HB 522.

If your lege doesn’t vote against this wasteful election don’t let them get away with “we don’t have the money” the next time some important state function in your area goes wanting.

C.B.

1 CB 7:00 am

Portrait of a RINO

Bobby Jindal’s hypocrisy never ceases to amaze me. Most of the things for which he criticizes President Obama and the Democrats for doing on the national level, are initiated by Jindal in Louisiana.

The latest example of how he and the President govern alike is Jindal’s plan to bust the state’s “debt ceiling.”

Jindal is supporting Senate Bill No. 204 which allows the state to extend our debt by another $250 Million above the maximum allowed by law.

Higher Ed and Healthcare affected

Jindal wants to put future generations of Louisianans deeper into debt. Additionally, his plan will increase the amount of annual debt service.  That requires more recurring revenues.

More debt service means that there will even be even fewer dollars in the State Operating Budget for Higher Education and Healthcare.

Buying votes

Incurring debt and busting the “ceiling” on state debt both require a 2/3’s vote of the lege.

In order to get the requisite 2/3’s, for his fiscally-irresponsible effort, Jindal must get Republican leges to also follow the Obama playbook.

To get the needed Republican votes Jindal resorted to a method perfected by former Governor Edwin Edwards – buying votes.

If one looks through the legislation one will see projects for various leges throughout the state. That’s how Jindal buys votes.

The bill has already passed the Senate and is pending action on the House Floor.

The primary difference between Jindal and President Obama is that the President is taller.

C.B.

1 CB 7:00 am