forgotston.com

The front page story in today’s Times Picayune is headlined: ” Storm work deals go to inside players.” The sub-title is: Contracts could hurt state’s image.

Our public officials continue to bemoan and protest the “bad rap” that LA gets because of the”perception” of corruption. They sit before Congress and complain to the media that LA’s reputation for corruption is a “thing of the past.”

For these people to continue to deny the existence of corruption in LA, is obviously a failure to understand the definition of “corrupt” as is it is understood by those outside of LA.

The understanding in LA of being “corrupt” means that someone steals something or does something illegal. Our former 4-term governor, Edwin Edwards seems to have set the “gold standard” for corruption at: “If it is not illegal, it is okay to do.”

Unfortunately, the LA media seems to have accepted that definition. For example, the media continues to describe the Mike Foster Administration as “scandal-free.” Apparently, being found guilty and fined for violating the state’s ethics’ law is not a scandal. By inference, the media would find the Foster Administration to be “non-corrupt.” How can a public official, even by LA’s low standards violate a state law (with criminal sanctions) and be found to be “scandal-free” or “non-corrupt.”

I finally see the problem that our public officials are having in convincing those outside of LA and especially Congress that LA is not corrupt. Outside of LA and in virtually any English dictionary the definition of “corrupt” is: “To change from good to bad in morals, manners, or actions. To degrade with unsound principles or moral values.” Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition.

In other words, those outside of LA determine what is “corrupt” based on a broader sense of right and wrong and not merely something that is set forth in the law books as being illegal.

As The Captain said to Luke in the movie Cool Hand Luke (1967): “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”

Either we, in LA, have to change our definition of “corrupt” or we have to convince everyone else to change theirs.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am

There is a lot of controversy in different parts of the state about locations for FEMA “trailer cities” for refugees from Katrina and Rita. After giving the matter much thought, I’ve come up with a location for which there should be no objection because the property belongs to the refugees.

In the Capitol Complex there is a lot of open space. If done efficiently, most likely it would be possible to establish a fairly large “trailer city” on the grounds which already, electricity, water and sewerage.

Some of the advantages for this location:

1. No property would have to be purchased by FEMA. Thus saving the taxpayers money.

2. Since the leges will be meeting fairly regularly between now and next summer, it will allow the leges to interact directly with their constituents who might not otherwise get to see their leges at home.

3. The refugees can be invited to all the parties and fundraisers that accompany lege sessions. It would be great for raising their spirits.

4. It would provide an additional shot in the arm for Baton Rouge’s economy. To prevent further traffic congestion, Senator Cleo Fields can provide free bus service to the refugees to the various shopping areas around Baton Rouge.

Finally, and most importantly, it just might serve to instill a sense of urgency in the leges to get moving on rebuilding LA.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:41 am

There’s in an interesting story in today’s Baton Rouge paper about the frustration of the members of the New Orleans City Council with the mayor’s repopulation plan based on zip codes. Some excepts are below.

–FEMA’s Guy Bonomo said a major stumbling block to the delivery of trailers is Mayor Ray Nagin’s use of ZIP codes to repopulate the once-deserted city.

–[Councilwoman Cynthia]Hedge-Morrell and fellow Councilwoman Jacquelyn Clarkson reiterated the council’s complaint that ZIP codes are not a practical way of repopulating a sprawling New Orleans.

–”ZIP codes don’t work here. That plan has to be thrown out,” Hedge-Morrell said. “We need to go to the neighborhood plan.”

–Clarkson said the “stupid” ZIP code plan has caused “mass confusion” in the delivery of FEMA trailers. “This is unacceptable. This is out of control, I’m sorry,” she said. “Nobody knows who’s on first. What’s wrong with this picture. There was no master plan.”

Where have I heard that before? Here is where:

October 2, 2005

* * *

The idea of using Zip Codes from the USPS to determine who gets into a city would be laughable if it wasn’t so sad. In some Zip Codes that are open in the City of New Orleans there is still standing water, downed power lines, blocked access roads. In my neighborhood which is in a NON-OPEN Zip Code, there is no standing water and hasn’t been for weeks. There are no downed power lines because all the utilities are underground. There is running water and sewerage, but no electricity.

* * *
C.B.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 9:25 am