forgotston.com

He’s conning you

During Tuesday’s debate in the House on whether to pass a 4 cent tax on cigarettes there was a great deal of effort by the leges to convince the public that the tax really wasn’t a tax, but a “renewal.”

A tax “renewal” is not recognized by the state constitution, statutes or house and senate rules. There are only tax increases and new taxes.

“Renewal” is a euphemism used by politicians to deceive the public.

In the course of yesterday’s debate, Rep. Joe Lopinto “said there is a huge difference between a tax increase and a tax renewal.” The Advocate, May 25, 2011

Insult of day

Lopinto went on to insult his own constituents. “If my constituents can’t see that, I don’t know if I want them voting for me…”

Translation: If you are not dumb enough to fall for this con job, I don’t want your vote.

That’s just as well because those who didn’t fall for the con probably would not vote for Lopinto anyway.

C.B.икони

1 CB 9:08 am

Not the governor

The Associated Press’s Melinda Deslatte wrote a column about the scare tactics being used by Commissioner of Administration (“COA”) Paul Rainwater and other state agency heads as a result of the actions of the House Appropriations Committee. ( See here.)

Rainwater said: “What they chose to do is irresponsible. It’s ridiculous….”

Apparently, Rainwater doesn’t understand his job.

LA R.S. 39:6 sets forth his duties. His job when it comes to the leges is to “advise and assist … the committees of the legislature in their consideration of budget matters.”

Rainwater’s job is NOT to dictate policy to the leges or to create “boogie men” to frighten the leges into doing what he wants done with our money.

Gov’s responsibility

At best, Rainwater’s job is to submit, on behalf of the governor, the budget to the leges. (LA Const. Article IV, Section 5(D))

The governor, not Rainwater, has veto and line-item veto power over the budget that is ultimately approved by the leges.

Leges’ responsibility

Constitutionally, (the people’s document) the leges have the ultimate authority over the budget. They are supposed to exercise that authority in consultation with their constituents who they represent.

There is nothing in the law to prevent the leges from accepting from the governor a budget, tossing it in the trash can, introducing and voting on their own budget. In some states, with independent leges, that is actually what happens.

Rainwater’s job

Rainwater’s job is that of any appointed public servant; to do the job for which he was hired.

The COA job is a functionary to implement policy set by the governor and the leges.

It’s time for Rainwater to learn his job and do it.

Rainwater’s job is to take whatever the leges give him in the budget and make it work for the benefit of the people of Louisiana.

C.B.

1 CB 8:00 am

Team Jindal

Since Wednesday after the House Appropriations Committee reported to the House Floor the state Operating Budget we’ve heard nothing but doomsday scenarios from various state agencies.

Sunday’s Shreveport Times editorial was about the decision by the House Appropriations Committee to take almost $82 Million from the Department of Economic Development’s “Mega Fund.” ( See here.)

What was said

According to the editorial: “Secretary of Economic Development Stephen Moret say cleaning out the fund … undermines the state’s credibility in future negotiations.”

What the ethically-challenged Moret didn’t say was that the fund is NOT being cleaned out or as the editorial indicates being “zeroed out.”

The facts

According to State Treasurer John Kennedy’s office:

...[T]he Louisiana Mega Project Development Fund. As of [Thursday] the states accounting system shows an unobligated cash balance of $127,833,170.37. The Appropriations Committee has proposed reducing the fund by $81,448,446.00 and transferring it to the Overcollections Fund. This would leave an unobligated cash balance in the Mega Fund of $46,384,724.37.

Over $46 Million available is not chump change. It could match at least $80 Million in federal funds for healthcare.

In his hyperbolic scare tactics, the ethically-challenged Moret is also fact-challenged.

Doomsday

I’m surprised that Team Jindal didn’t announce that the world was coming to an end on Saturday at 6:00 PM (As was predicted by some folks.) because the budget no longer contains fictitious funds (prison sales, constitutional amendments passing, etc.).

However, there’s still time to announce that scenario before the end of the lege session.

C.B.

1 CB 8:00 am