forgotston.com

If one wondered what was most important to our leges, this excerpt from today’s Monroe newspaper says it all:

Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, landed the Appropriations Committee chairmanship, which is the most powerful in the House. (emphasis mine) Monroe News-Star, December 21, 2007.

The primary responsibility of the Appropriations Committee is to spend OUR money on state and local government.

I’ll repeat that.

The primary responsibility of the Appropriations Committee is to spend OUR money on state and local government.

In other words, the most important committee in the LA House of Representatives is not about healthcare, education, insurance or tax reductions which are all the things one hears during the campaigns for the lege seats. The most important committee is the one that spends the money taken from the taxpayers and given to government.

Buying votes

Governor-elect Bobby Jindal understands this lege priority. That is why he is holding the surplus for FY 06-07, the extra state revenues for FY 07-08 hostage to get his ethics reform package passed.

Nothing wrong with Jindal using the extra money to buy votes. That’s the way its done. The only thing that disappoints me is that there is no talk about tax cuts for the hard-working, overtaxed (by national standards) middle class.

Now you know.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 9:57 am

Picture above of Jindal’s ethics plan in process

The lead editorial in today’s Baton Rouge paper is about Governor-elect Bobby Jindal’s newly appointed Executive Counsel.

Ethics, smethics!

The Advocate seems to think that it is wrong to appoint a counsel who has conflicts of interest.

Gimme a break!

Who better to advise our newly-elected governor on his top priority - ethics - than one who knows of conflicts of interest firsthand. Surely hands-on experience is preferable to book knowledge.

The appointment of the governor’s executive counsel shows clearly that the governor is not an extremist or even a stickler when it comes to ethics. That should put those who wish to make money from government somewhat at ease. After all, the statements made by Jindal while he was running for office might have scared off many with lesser standards from doing business with the state.

The governor’s new counsel has admitted he will have a learning curve understanding state government, but he certainly comes with experience in ethics or conflicts of interest.

Gambling

On another related matter, many have asked why I haven’t pointed out the contradiction of the appointment of an executive counsel with ties to Indian gambling casinos and Bobby Jindal’s position on gambling.

I understand the obvious conflict, as noted in The Advocate editorial, with the new executive counsel.  Because for the governor to allow (by signing a compact) more tribes to have casinos would put the executive counsel’s client at a competitive disadvantage. Also, as governor, Jindal will likely be called upon to renew some of the casino-owning tribes compacts. Those compacts are usually within the purview of the executive counsel.

Here’s the where I need some help. I admit that I’ve not read every word of governor-elect Jindal’s campaign platform, but I have skimmed and I haven’t seen the part that others seem to have seen that notes that Jindal is “anti-gambling.”

If someone would point out where Governor-elect Jindal has written that he is “anti-gambling,” I would appreciate it.

Kudos to the Advocate! It appears it is going to be a very short media “honeymoon” for the Jindal Administration, at least in Jindal’s hometown.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:34 am

According an Associated Press story the City of New Orleans failed to turn in its audit timely despite months, if not years, of missed deadlines. As a result of the failure to meet the latest deadline $900,000 intended by the state for the city has been halted.

Thanks to the help of the Crack Mullet Research Team, below is an advance look at press release still being drafted by Mayor Ray Nagin’s Office of Communications.

C.B.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mayor Nagin makes the following statement regarding the alleged failure of the city to submit its audit:

“I’m a pretty religious mailer,” Nagin said when asked if he mailed the audit to the Legislative Auditor.

Nagin responded, “I don’t believe that report and it causes me to question what’s going on with mailing period. I get many reports from people saying ‘Look, I’ve been to the Post Office, my mail didn’t get there’ - now I’m going to be watching my mailbox a lot closer.”

When asked to respond by saying yes or no, Nagin said “I’m a pretty consistent mailer, I only recall maybe one or two times that I hadn’t mailed because I was working and the clock ran out and I couldn’t get to my Post Office, but other than that I mail.”

When asked if the Legislative Auditor was wrong, the mayor responded:

“I don’t know what’s going on, I’ll tell you I haven’t read the whole report, I don’t particularly pay attention to those kind of reports, but I’m going to watch my mailing a lot closer going forward.

Like I said, from my recollection and from the people who ride with me and stay with me, we have mail very consistently.”

Uncategorized CB 8:01 am