Over carrying out his statutory duties, Louisiana’s
Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne tried to
fool us once. He’s trying to do it again.
My most recent column
for the Baton Rouge Advocate took
Dardenne and his boss Gov. John Bel Edwards to
task for technically breaking the law in their most recent presentation to the Joint
Legislative Committee on the Budget. Dardenne presented a budget using numbers
concocted by economists for his office and for the Legislature, but which had
not gained approval of the Revenue Estimating Conference.
The REC requires unanimity to assign revenue forecasts.
One member, House Speaker Taylor Barras, has refused to change general fund estimates
from those
accepted at the Jun. 26, 2018 meeting, although he asked at the most recent
meeting to revise numbers associated with dedicated funds, many of which have
yet to receive an official forecast. Dardenne and the other two members rejected
that.
7.3.19
Raising smoking age will cost LA more
If Louisiana intends to raise the age of tobacco use and possession to 21, it needs to do it for the right reason.
Prefiled HB 38, by state Rep. Frank Hoffman, would do this, and includes alternative nicotine products including vaping material. A few states and a number of local governments already have put this limit into law.
The bill resurrects arguments pitting exercise of personal liberties against the state’s duty to protect its citizens. Already the prohibition applies to alcohol, and with the U.S. Supreme Court pontificating that states can’t automatically sentence to life imprisonment those under 18 who commit horrific crimes because their brains may not have developed enough to distinguish right and wrong in all instances, consistency dictates increasing the age.
5.3.19
Case reminds to pare constables, justices
With the West Bank’s dynamic duo now officially in
disgrace, maybe legislators will wake up and reform Louisiana’s small claims
court system.
Last week, a court found former Jefferson Parish Second District Justice of the Peace Patrick DeJean guilty of charges related to abusing his office. JPs provide numerous administrative functions in addition to adjudicating cases with minor amounts in controversy, for which they may receive fees. These convictions automatically cost him his position.
Whatever legitimate business DeJean had didn’t seem adequate for a gambling habit he had picked up, thus his crimes of overcharging revenues and falsely inflating expenses (Jefferson Parish, as do others throughout the state, supplement in various ways JPs and their office, although not legally required to do so). While not connected to those felonies, he had a partner in running up business, former Constable Tony Thomassie.
Last week, a court found former Jefferson Parish Second District Justice of the Peace Patrick DeJean guilty of charges related to abusing his office. JPs provide numerous administrative functions in addition to adjudicating cases with minor amounts in controversy, for which they may receive fees. These convictions automatically cost him his position.
Whatever legitimate business DeJean had didn’t seem adequate for a gambling habit he had picked up, thus his crimes of overcharging revenues and falsely inflating expenses (Jefferson Parish, as do others throughout the state, supplement in various ways JPs and their office, although not legally required to do so). While not connected to those felonies, he had a partner in running up business, former Constable Tony Thomassie.
4.3.19
Perkins surrenders his mayoral honeymoon
The honeymoon is over officially for wunderkind Shreveport’s Democrat Mayor Adrian Perkins.
Sworn in at the tail end of last year, the first city mayor born after its switch from the commission form of government and who hardly has lived any of his adult life in the city, the precocious Perkins swept into office on a perception that he offered a clean break from stagnation of the recent past. Citizens who saw city government as opaque and infested with cronyism in policy-making hoped he would bring fresh ideas and a fresh start.
Instead, in his first two months on the job, Perkins seemed like one of the good old boys who additionally believed the executive imposes and the legislature disposes. He hit a minor speed bump when he proposed a garbage fee to a public wary but open to the idea. Shreveport is among the very few larger cities that does not have such a charge.
Sworn in at the tail end of last year, the first city mayor born after its switch from the commission form of government and who hardly has lived any of his adult life in the city, the precocious Perkins swept into office on a perception that he offered a clean break from stagnation of the recent past. Citizens who saw city government as opaque and infested with cronyism in policy-making hoped he would bring fresh ideas and a fresh start.
Instead, in his first two months on the job, Perkins seemed like one of the good old boys who additionally believed the executive imposes and the legislature disposes. He hit a minor speed bump when he proposed a garbage fee to a public wary but open to the idea. Shreveport is among the very few larger cities that does not have such a charge.
3.3.19
The Advocate column, Mar. 3, 2019
Why does Gov. John Bel Edwards only follow the rules when they suit him?
Links:
https://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/2018/03/edwards-red-meat-case-losing-streak.html
http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=96394
http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=96362
http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=206538
http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=206526
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_7dc2e624-36c0-11e9-906f-db2b37477b64.html
https://www.nola.com/politics/2019/02/louisiana-revenue-standoff-complicates-agency-budgets.html
https://www.doa.la.gov/opb/pub/FY20/Budget_Presentation_JLCB.pdf
http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Video/VideoArchivePlayer.aspx?v=house/2019/feb/0222_19_20JLCB
Links:
https://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/2018/03/edwards-red-meat-case-losing-streak.html
http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=96394
http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=96362
http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=206538
http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=206526
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_7dc2e624-36c0-11e9-906f-db2b37477b64.html
https://www.nola.com/politics/2019/02/louisiana-revenue-standoff-complicates-agency-budgets.html
https://www.doa.la.gov/opb/pub/FY20/Budget_Presentation_JLCB.pdf
http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Video/VideoArchivePlayer.aspx?v=house/2019/feb/0222_19_20JLCB
28.2.19
Defective decision highlights sentencing irony
Although a decision on the matter will apply to
many fewer defendants across Louisiana now, a needed
challenge to a badly flawed decision on jury sentencing points out in
passing an unintended consequence of recent change to this policy.
Last year, voters amended the Constitution to sweet away the state’s requirement – shared now only by Oregon – that juries decide cases with only 10 of 12 votes (except, according to the criminal code, cases that could carry a capital sentence). However, the change to unanimity didn’t affect cases already in the pipeline.
Unless you agreed with rogue 41st District Judge Stephen Beasley. In a magnificent display of judicial activism, last fall Beasley declared the 10/12 standard unconstitutional as it disproportionately affected black defendants because – he alone determined despite far more persuasive explanations at hand – it was inherently racist from its origin, thus violating the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection clause
Last year, voters amended the Constitution to sweet away the state’s requirement – shared now only by Oregon – that juries decide cases with only 10 of 12 votes (except, according to the criminal code, cases that could carry a capital sentence). However, the change to unanimity didn’t affect cases already in the pipeline.
Unless you agreed with rogue 41st District Judge Stephen Beasley. In a magnificent display of judicial activism, last fall Beasley declared the 10/12 standard unconstitutional as it disproportionately affected black defendants because – he alone determined despite far more persuasive explanations at hand – it was inherently racist from its origin, thus violating the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection clause
27.2.19
High-stakes testing doesn't create more crime
So, ditching the practice of social promotion has
allowed serious crime to run rampant on the streets? Only if you believe an oversimplified
interpretation of an incomplete study performed using Louisiana data.
Recently, researchers released a paper investigating whether preventing social promotion, or the practice of advancing children academically unprepared a grade level regardless, causes more adult crime. They hypothesized that holding back children between grade levels past research had identified as most crucial to lead to high school graduation, eighth and ninth, discouraged desire for schooling got those repeating eighth grade so that later in life they more likely turned to violent crime than did their peers.
Two decades ago, Louisiana halted its practice of social promotion and instituted the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program tests in English and mathematics, where students had to pass both to enter ninth grade. To come as close as possible to having experimental and control groups, these analysts reviewed years of data for students who passed the eighth grade standardized tests needed for advancement by one point to those who failed these by one point.
Recently, researchers released a paper investigating whether preventing social promotion, or the practice of advancing children academically unprepared a grade level regardless, causes more adult crime. They hypothesized that holding back children between grade levels past research had identified as most crucial to lead to high school graduation, eighth and ninth, discouraged desire for schooling got those repeating eighth grade so that later in life they more likely turned to violent crime than did their peers.
Two decades ago, Louisiana halted its practice of social promotion and instituted the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program tests in English and mathematics, where students had to pass both to enter ninth grade. To come as close as possible to having experimental and control groups, these analysts reviewed years of data for students who passed the eighth grade standardized tests needed for advancement by one point to those who failed these by one point.
26.2.19
Zulu schools Landrieu on cultural symbolism
Former Democrat New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and
those who think like him about cultural symbolism could take a lesson from his
former fellow members of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club.
As Democrat activists ponder who to put up against Republican Pres. Donald Trump next year, some stump for Landrieu. For example, one recent booster from outside the party argued that Landrieu’s dismantling of historic monuments in New Orleans while mayor, all connected to the Confederacy, commends him for the nation’s top job.
Only in a world where his party increasingly tears itself away from reality and the real concerns of Americans would Landrieu’s actions in that regard be considered anything but an exercise in intolerance and an avenue to promote social engineering. Unwilling to conceive of the monuments in any terms but his own, he decided to follow the Islamic State model of scarring the city’s landscape and erasing its history.
As Democrat activists ponder who to put up against Republican Pres. Donald Trump next year, some stump for Landrieu. For example, one recent booster from outside the party argued that Landrieu’s dismantling of historic monuments in New Orleans while mayor, all connected to the Confederacy, commends him for the nation’s top job.
Only in a world where his party increasingly tears itself away from reality and the real concerns of Americans would Landrieu’s actions in that regard be considered anything but an exercise in intolerance and an avenue to promote social engineering. Unwilling to conceive of the monuments in any terms but his own, he decided to follow the Islamic State model of scarring the city’s landscape and erasing its history.
25.2.19
The Advocate column, Feb. 24, 2019
Before giving statewide raises to teachers, Louisiana schools need to progress
Links:
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_a204dfa8-308d-11e9-92ae-d33c214eedb3.html
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/la/POP060210
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2018/04/teacher_pay_2017.html
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/03/16/592221378/the-fight-over-teacher-salaries-a-look-at-the-numbers
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html
https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/5199-per-pupil-educational-expenditures-adjusted-for-regional-cost-differences?loc=1&loct=2#ranking/2/any/true/573/any/11678
https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?chort=1&sub=MAT&sj=&sfj=NP&st=MN&year=2017R3
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_204.10.asp
http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/certificate-subjects/certification-subject-examinations.stml
Links:
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_a204dfa8-308d-11e9-92ae-d33c214eedb3.html
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/la/POP060210
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2018/04/teacher_pay_2017.html
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/03/16/592221378/the-fight-over-teacher-salaries-a-look-at-the-numbers
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html
https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/5199-per-pupil-educational-expenditures-adjusted-for-regional-cost-differences?loc=1&loct=2#ranking/2/any/true/573/any/11678
https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?chort=1&sub=MAT&sj=&sfj=NP&st=MN&year=2017R3
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_204.10.asp
http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/certificate-subjects/certification-subject-examinations.stml
Perkins sacrificing one openness for another
Keeping one campaign promise shouldn’t mean sacrificing
another, new Democrat Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins
should understand. Especially when the whole thing smells a bit fishy.
During his campaign, which he alluded to in his inauguration speech, Perkins spoke of more openness in city government. Then, a month later, with no consultation he served notice to the city’s two longtime insurance providers that he canned them.
That subsequently brought a flurry of public comments from representatives of the jilted companies, who will lose this business in the hundreds of millions of dollars in a few days, at the last City Council meeting. They pointed out that they had no chance to make offers, contrary to procedures that require a request for proposal when the city contracts in this fashion.
During his campaign, which he alluded to in his inauguration speech, Perkins spoke of more openness in city government. Then, a month later, with no consultation he served notice to the city’s two longtime insurance providers that he canned them.
That subsequently brought a flurry of public comments from representatives of the jilted companies, who will lose this business in the hundreds of millions of dollars in a few days, at the last City Council meeting. They pointed out that they had no chance to make offers, contrary to procedures that require a request for proposal when the city contracts in this fashion.
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