forgotston.com

We’ve heard that the old lege “slush funds” have been eliminated. However, as the saying goes, a rose by any other name….

I’ve done a cursory review of the State Operating Budget (HB 1) for the fiscal beginning July 1 and found some expenditures that clearly not the responsibility of state government. Some are local. Some appear to be for private organizations. Some appear to be for religious organizations. Some I don’t have a clue what are the recipients. Regardless they are all paid with YOUR tax dollars. For those who think Federal Funds are not their tax dollars, all the funding comes from STATE funds. They look a lot like last year’s “slush funds.” (See link to LA Boudin Plant No. 1 on left.)

Assuming all these expenditures are legitimate, consider the fact that instead of funding them, you could have been given a tax reduction.

NOTE: The list is as passed the lege. The governor can line-item veto any of the items.

Caution: Do not read right before bedtime. The list could cause insomnia.

To see the “Not Slush Fund” Fund or whatever go here. Please don’t ask for more details or information on any of the expenditures, you have all the information that I have. Ask your leges. They must know because 96 Representatives and 38 Senators voted for the budget.

“Not Slush Fund” funding in the Capital Outlay Budget (HB 2) later.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am

In 1996 the voters of the state approved an amendment to the state constitution (LA Const. Article X, Section 29.1) to prohibit, after 1997, certain elected officials (including leges) from becoming members of the state retirement systems. The purpose was two-fold: 1) It was a recognition that such elected officials’ “jobs” are are not full-time employment, but a public service and 2) it was a small symbolic step toward actuarial sanity to the retirement systems that are billions in the red.

Now the leges are giving their colleagues (for current and former leges), elected after 1995, who cannot take part in the retirement system another perk at the expense of us taxpayers. Since term limits have kicked it, this perk could be worth more each month than membership in the state retirement system after 12 years in the Lege. House Bill No. 1028 by “lame-duck” Rep. “Hoppy” Hopkins, D-Oil City, will require the taxpayers to pickup the tab for a MINIMUM of 75% of the leges health insurance premiums for the REST OF THEIR LIVES. To get this perk, the leges only have to serve 10 years.

This new perk not only costs us taxpayers more money, but it puts a further load on the state employees’ group health insurance program by keeping the leges onboard. The more load put on the system, the larger the amount of the taxpayers’ share of each participant’s premium. The perk eventually will likely mean an increase in the employee’s portion of the premium. This will mean that state employees will either take home less money or will have to be given raises. All at OUR expense.

Take a look at your own monthly health insurance premium. Think about how big of a perk it would be if the taxpayers of LA picked up 75% of that premium for the rest of your life. After thinking about that, think about what the leges have done not to to address the massive increases in your insurance premiums, including your homeowners insurance post Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

On Sunday afternoon, the House concurred in the senate amendments to the bill. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for her signature.

To see how your lege voted go here: House Senate

A YEA vote is a vote for the perk. A NAY vote is a vote against the perk. An Absence is the same as a NAY vote.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:13 am

According to the story in Wednesday’s Shreveport paper, Sen. Robert Adley, D-Benton, has proposed legislation that would give ex-con, EWE cohort and fishmonger Gus Mijalis get a special break from the Heh, Heh, Heh, gambling regulations. Apparently, Mijalis wants to sell fish to the casinos and is in a “Catch 22.” To hawk his fish to the casinos, the regulators say that Mijalis must be licensed and pass a suitability test. Mijalis can’t pass such a test because he is a felon. He now wants the law change to give him a special hearing to prove that he does not need to be licensed.

Surely there are enough places in LA to hawk fish, legally, for an ex-con to make a decent living without selling to the casinos. Next to government, arguably, legalized gambling is the most corrupt enterprise in America. If nothing else but to keep up the facade of legitimacy, it seems that casinos in LA are the last place that needs more associations with convicted felons.

Conviction of a felony, even in LA, should carry with it some serious consequences. Not being able to sell fish to a casino is hardly cruel and inhuman punishment. Certainly, not a harsh enough penalty to warrant a very special law. If Adley’s goal is to help rehabilitate felons, surely he can find a better way to help than allowing them to get involved with Organized Gambling.

This proposed law is another case of where the perception of LA being corrupt and reality become self-evident.

Kudos to John Hill for being a “Watchcat” and bringing this piece of very special interest legislation to our attention.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am