Monroe Council Democrats delay may cost public

Difficult-to-explain political maneuvering by Monroe’s Democrat City Council majority potentially has put the city’s citizens in a tough spot.

Last week, the Council again deferred action on a pair of master service agreements with two established engineering firms. Use of MSAs occurs commonly in local governments, which basically is like a retainer: on short notice, the city could call upon these entities to provide services at agreed-upon rates. For example, if a water or sewer line became inoperative or a sinkhole opened up on a street, a firm could be called quickly to the scene to map out a fix and then a contractor (likely on a different agreement) could implement that as quickly as possible to minimize disruption. Shortly thereafter the Council would pass an ordinance declaring that emergency and appropriating money for the repairs.

Without MSAs, there’s no guarantee that issues could be addressed rapidly and probably would cost more. The city’s current arrangements expired at the end of June, before the Council first took up the ordinances that then were tabled at the majority’s behest. MSAs also allow work to commence on regular non-emergency projects as yet without appropriations.

Changes needed to reduce BC EDD riskiness

All the fancy footwork in the world can’t hide the fact that as Bossier City plunges forward with creation of two new taxing districts it risks picking winners and losers among businesses and invites future elected officials to help themselves to increased tax collections.

This week, the City Council approved the boundaries of these. One gulps in the city’s four casinos while the other basically radiates out from the East Bank District to the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway to the south, to the Red River to the West, up to and over Texas Street especially along the river to the north, and to Hamilton Road and somewhat down Barksdale Boulevard to the railroad tracks the west, excluding some professional and industrial concerns and residences.

The ordinances fixed boundaries, and within these empowered the City Council to levy sales and occupancy taxes, established a management board in common for both headed by the head of the Greater Bossier Economic Development Foundation and eight others members (listing needed qualifications) appointed by the mayor, created a trust fund to hold collections from any avails which would be commingled, and defined uses for those funds in support of transportation, streetscaping, utilities, beautification, security, and for grants to new and existing businesses. Other details would come in the form of a cooperative endeavor agreement which it authorized the mayor to pursue.

Landry dealing overcoming lingering doubts

With a little luck and adroit maneuvering, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry might be covering his Achilles heel for reelection in 2027.

While drawing enthusiastic reviews from his conservative base for his tax-cutting policy, holding the line on state government spending, backing sensible measures addressing social issues, and scoring big on economic development moves, it has been nonplussed over his attitude about coastal restoration lawsuits. Over 40 parish-based suits remain against legacy exploration companies from decades ago, recently removed from state courts to federal ones, with Landry cheering on the plaintiff parishes. Conservatives typically see these as money grabs unjustified under federal law that will enrich trial lawyers, which put most on the political right at odds with him.

However, Landry may be softening his reputation as a trial lawyer supporter on the issue as he has spearheaded recent efforts that effectively take the wind out of the sails of the trial bar. It began when this summer the state concluded an agreement with ExxonMobil to have it aid the state in cleaning up orphan wells – those that a defunct explorer abandoned but not sufficiently capped – offshore, which could cost the state close to three-quarters of a billion dollars. In exchange, several suits against the company will be dropped.

Half-baked BC economic districts need rethinking

It’s possible that a taxing economic development district might be a good thing for the old part of Bossier City. But the plans presented for a pair of these that the City Council will vet this week make that impossible.

The Council will consider in its first September meeting creating two such districts where one takes in most of the commercial establishments in the East Bank District and to the north, east, and south plus the Louisiana Boardwalk, while the four casinos comprise the other. All residences, some businesses and nonprofits, and government buildings are excluded.

Each will have the power to levy up to a two percent sales and/or two percent occupancy tax on businesses included, will go into a trust fund that may have proceeds spent upon transportation, street, right-of-way, and utility infrastructure, grants to new or existing businesses, and security measures, with no more than 30 percent annually spent in any one area, unless three-quarters of the management board (below) votes to override, plus a unanimous vote needed to spend on grants. The City Council will govern each, and, as there will be no residents in them, the Council unilaterally can decide whether to enact taxation and issue debt within them.

Make beneficial changes before adjusting formula

In order actually to solve a problem, you need to understand it, which it isn’t at all clear that Louisiana’s Legislative Higher Education Funding and Formula Task Force does.

As the landscape of higher education continues to change, senators thought it would be a good idea to review the outcomes-based funding formula. It’s a good idea, considering the challenges funding for higher education faces, beginning with the fact of the “demographic cliff” in the country, or that traditional-aged college students will fall in number nationally over the next several years.

At the hearing last week of legislators and higher education officials, other presumed variables were presented that could impact funding: increased workforce development demands, higher price inflation, escalating costs of intercollegiate athletic programs, and reduced federal financial aid. On top of all of this, one official argued that supposedly higher education fell over $800 million annually short of necessary, although it was not explained how that figure was derived but presumably through the lens of the existing formula of 70 percent basic, 30 percent outcomes.