forgotston.com

In a recent column ( here) in the Baton Rouge paper, Mark Ballard, laments the lack of “transparency” of a state “slush fund” (uncommitted money) of over $400 Million.

As Ballard points out, how do we know that giving our money to some yet-to-be-landed, much less built, plant is the best use of our declining tax dollars if we don’t know the details of the “investment.”

Some folks might suggest a better “investment” would be in our existing businesses by lowering their taxes.  New jobs cannot be created at a fast enough rate and in sufficient quantity to make up for the loss of existing ones.

I find the Jindal Administration’s lack of transparency in any area of the state budget in direct conflict with his own statements.  Just a month ago, Bobby Jindal made these comments:

I have advocated for transparent government, as I believe that the bright light of transparency and public access should extend to every corner of the state budget.

An honest government has nothing to fear from openness…

- Governor Bobby Jindal

I see no exception in the statements above for the $400 Million “slush fund.”

To quote Bobby Jindal: “It’s time to match action to our rhetoric.”

It’s time to hold Bobby accountable.

C.B.

1 CB 7:49 am

Bobby Jindal promised:

Close the spending loophole that allows departments to request funding for state workers that do not exist in order to reprogram that funding for other purposes. Any funding allocated to a department for a state worker should be returned to the treasury if those workers are not hired or needed.

There is no spending loophole, there is only a failure to exercise proper fiscal management.

Vacant positions currently exist throughout the state budget. This budget was proposed by Bobby Jindal.  Are all the 3,000 vacant positions “needed”?

To quote Bobby Jindal: “It’s time to match action to the rhetoric.”

It’s time to hold Bobby accountable.

C.B.

1 CB 7:34 am

Bobby Jindal promised:

“Upon the retirement of a state worker, examine opportunities to incorporate those job duties among existing workforce. Before replacing a retired worker, we owe it to the taxpayers to determine if improved efficiency in government can best meet the needs of the people.”

In the first 10 months of his term, Jindal has increased (not decreased) the number of state employees.

Is every state worker doing his or her job at peak efficiency?   If so, who determined that?  Where’s the data?

Was the above promise simply campaign rhetoric?

To quote Bobby Jindal: “It’s time to match action to our rhetoric.”

It’s time to hold Bobby accountable.

C.B.

1 CB 7:30 am