Even if it costs taxpayers, Louisiana must support citizen
exercise of constitutional rights.
Last
year, the State Bond Commission voted to reject bids by two banks to work
an upcoming Grant
Anticipation Revenue Vehicle bond sale because the pair engaged in restrictive
lending to merchants legally dealing in firearms, undermining citizens’
abilities to exercise Second Amendment. rights This successful attempt came
after failure to impose a similar ban four months earlier on a related matter.
Democrats on the SBC and the Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards
Administration said actions like this could cause higher fees paid out to do
this business. In fact, the bids by those prospective but barred lenders came
in thousands of dollars lower.
26.6.19
Govts in hock for current spending needing tweaks
Comments made at the most recent Louisiana State
Bond Commission meeting invite debate over how local governments can use debt
to finance current operations.
Typically, each month the SBC will approve several applications for a local government to issue short term debt instruments the proceeds of which will go to recurring expenses. Any and all debt issued by any level of government in the state cannot happen without SBC permission.
The state can’t use long term debt to finance current operations (gimmickry aside), and among others in the union allowed only by Vermont. By contrast, just reviewing the last three months of loan requests, for Louisiana local entities among others a fire district asked for money to compensate for a budgetary shortfall, a municipality asked for funds to help tide itself over while the state assumes fiscal control for the time being, and a law enforcement district with significant revenue loss from a closed prison wanted to pay off expenses from last year.
Typically, each month the SBC will approve several applications for a local government to issue short term debt instruments the proceeds of which will go to recurring expenses. Any and all debt issued by any level of government in the state cannot happen without SBC permission.
The state can’t use long term debt to finance current operations (gimmickry aside), and among others in the union allowed only by Vermont. By contrast, just reviewing the last three months of loan requests, for Louisiana local entities among others a fire district asked for money to compensate for a budgetary shortfall, a municipality asked for funds to help tide itself over while the state assumes fiscal control for the time being, and a law enforcement district with significant revenue loss from a closed prison wanted to pay off expenses from last year.
25.6.19
New law pushes LA populism small step back
It flew under the radar, but it represents an
encouraging sign of Louisiana inching away from its populist past of wasteful
spending.
Earlier this month, Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law SB 201 by Republican state Sen. Beth Mizell, officially ending the Washington Parish Reservoir Commission. A few hundred thousand dollars of its assets will go immediately to enhance the nearby Bogue Chitto State Park, while the body itself terminates by Sep. 1.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to claw back the over $2 million spent trying to obtain permission to flood a hundred acres or so of land in the parish spent over nearly two decades. The original idea would have spurred, the idea’s sponsors alleged, economic development and recreational opportunities along the artificial lake.
Earlier this month, Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law SB 201 by Republican state Sen. Beth Mizell, officially ending the Washington Parish Reservoir Commission. A few hundred thousand dollars of its assets will go immediately to enhance the nearby Bogue Chitto State Park, while the body itself terminates by Sep. 1.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to claw back the over $2 million spent trying to obtain permission to flood a hundred acres or so of land in the parish spent over nearly two decades. The original idea would have spurred, the idea’s sponsors alleged, economic development and recreational opportunities along the artificial lake.
24.6.19
Outlier LA poll has validity challenges
Much has been written,
even vented, over a private poll
that asked questions including about the upcoming Louisiana governor’s race. In
the final analysis, its controversial results points to likely errors both in execution
and interpretation.
Done by longtime pollster Verne Kennedy, it represents the latest in a series stretching back years commissioned by a number of figures active in business and politics, including John George, owner of the Baton Rouge Advocate. In those pages appeared a summary of the results.
In one way, its confirms other polling. Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards doesn’t win against Republican challengers Rep. Ralph Abraham and businessman Eddie Rispone, but he leads each with 46 percent. His lead exists in part because of their lower name recognitions but, Kennedy insists, he would go well over 50 percent if the proportion of black sample voted 90 percent for him.
Done by longtime pollster Verne Kennedy, it represents the latest in a series stretching back years commissioned by a number of figures active in business and politics, including John George, owner of the Baton Rouge Advocate. In those pages appeared a summary of the results.
In one way, its confirms other polling. Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards doesn’t win against Republican challengers Rep. Ralph Abraham and businessman Eddie Rispone, but he leads each with 46 percent. His lead exists in part because of their lower name recognitions but, Kennedy insists, he would go well over 50 percent if the proportion of black sample voted 90 percent for him.
23.6.19
LA passenger rail experiment might pay off
This might be worth it for Louisiana to throw money
at passenger rail service, at least in the short run.
Earlier this month, the Southern Rail Commission – a federally-authorized interstate compact among Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama – announced it had won a grant to reestablish rail service between New Orleans and Mobile. This would pay some money for infrastructural improvements and subsidize three years of operating expenses.
Louisiana’s $10 million share of fixed costs it already has covered mostly leveraged from other projects. Thus, it would have to cough up only the unsubsidized portion of operating costs, which amount to 20 percent of the first year, 40 percent of the second, and 60 percent of the third. Normally, states must pick up the entire cost of segments fewer than 750 miles in length.
Earlier this month, the Southern Rail Commission – a federally-authorized interstate compact among Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama – announced it had won a grant to reestablish rail service between New Orleans and Mobile. This would pay some money for infrastructural improvements and subsidize three years of operating expenses.
Louisiana’s $10 million share of fixed costs it already has covered mostly leveraged from other projects. Thus, it would have to cough up only the unsubsidized portion of operating costs, which amount to 20 percent of the first year, 40 percent of the second, and 60 percent of the third. Normally, states must pick up the entire cost of segments fewer than 750 miles in length.
20.6.19
LSU defiance illustrates LA dysfunction
It’s confirmed: Louisiana State University, backed
by its system’s Board of Supervisors, continues
to thumb its nose at the Louisiana Board of Regents. Now the Regents have
to decide what to do, if they can do anything, pointing out again the dysfunctional
way in which state higher education is organized.
Last year, a policy choice made by LSU that violates Regents’ assigned admissions standards became public. The current class at the time admitted by LSU contained almost twice the proportion of exceptional admittances, where the school surreptitiously relaxed standards that didn’t automatically reject those with an American College Test score of 22 and a grade point average of 3.0/4.0 and 19 core hours.
As a result, the Regents pledged to audit admissions at all universities. Louisiana operates under a three-tiered system, where LSU has the highest bar and may enroll only four percent of a class that does not meet the standards, both metrics established by the Regents. Although the audit had some questions about data submitted by some institutions that will require following up, it confirmed that only LSU unambiguously violated policy by admitting 7.5 percent of its class through exception.
Last year, a policy choice made by LSU that violates Regents’ assigned admissions standards became public. The current class at the time admitted by LSU contained almost twice the proportion of exceptional admittances, where the school surreptitiously relaxed standards that didn’t automatically reject those with an American College Test score of 22 and a grade point average of 3.0/4.0 and 19 core hours.
As a result, the Regents pledged to audit admissions at all universities. Louisiana operates under a three-tiered system, where LSU has the highest bar and may enroll only four percent of a class that does not meet the standards, both metrics established by the Regents. Although the audit had some questions about data submitted by some institutions that will require following up, it confirmed that only LSU unambiguously violated policy by admitting 7.5 percent of its class through exception.
19.6.19
LA shouldn't fund directly legal services
You might say it’s “only” $500,000, but it’s money
better spent at the state level elsewhere and continues Louisiana’s unhealthy habit
of having the state finance what should be local matters.
Tucked into HB 392, that amount of money would go to the state’s three legal services corporations contracted with the federal government’s Legal Services Corporation. That entity funnels money to area providers within states to fund legal services rendered to low-income individuals in most civil matters (some it legally cannot underwrite).
Proponents have argued the infusion by state taxpayers will increase the representation of these people in matters such as family law, housing, successions, and labor. They say that the organizations, which receive funding from numerous sources besides federal government contracts, with this will become eligible for more funds from foundations that insist a state chip in some money before they’ll grant money to such groups.
Tucked into HB 392, that amount of money would go to the state’s three legal services corporations contracted with the federal government’s Legal Services Corporation. That entity funnels money to area providers within states to fund legal services rendered to low-income individuals in most civil matters (some it legally cannot underwrite).
Proponents have argued the infusion by state taxpayers will increase the representation of these people in matters such as family law, housing, successions, and labor. They say that the organizations, which receive funding from numerous sources besides federal government contracts, with this will become eligible for more funds from foundations that insist a state chip in some money before they’ll grant money to such groups.
18.6.19
Edwards creates problem, takes credit for solution
On the issue of Medicaid expansion, Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards
hopes people forget he’s the one who created the problem of inappropriate and
unnecessary payments.
The state received some good news recently when it announced it would spend $400 million fewer on Medicaid, about 3 percent less than budgeted. It identified as a major contributor cleansing the rolls of ineligible recipients, almost all of them coming from Medicaid expansion, through a technology upgrade that allows for more frequent verification. Since then, Edwards Administration officials have all but broken their arms patting themselves on the back for the discovery of (for now) over 30,000 ineligible participants to save the state money, and the public can expect Edwards to repeat that party line ad naseum as he runs for reelection.
But in all this Edwards wishes to bury a dirty secret. The reason why so many erroneous clients, who comprised about six percent of all expansion enrollees, gained illegal access to service is because of two policies that Edwards instituted, by design, that makes it easier for ineligible individuals to enroll.
The state received some good news recently when it announced it would spend $400 million fewer on Medicaid, about 3 percent less than budgeted. It identified as a major contributor cleansing the rolls of ineligible recipients, almost all of them coming from Medicaid expansion, through a technology upgrade that allows for more frequent verification. Since then, Edwards Administration officials have all but broken their arms patting themselves on the back for the discovery of (for now) over 30,000 ineligible participants to save the state money, and the public can expect Edwards to repeat that party line ad naseum as he runs for reelection.
But in all this Edwards wishes to bury a dirty secret. The reason why so many erroneous clients, who comprised about six percent of all expansion enrollees, gained illegal access to service is because of two policies that Edwards instituted, by design, that makes it easier for ineligible individuals to enroll.
17.6.19
Nuisance candidates set to annoy incumbents
With the Louisiana Legislature out of substantive action
hopefully for at least nine more months and an election in between, it’s time
for nuisance candidates to come out of the woodwork, which a pair of northwest
Louisiana incumbents running for reelection this fall must endure.
Given the voting behavior of its legislators, southeast Shreveport might have the most conservative electorate in the state. That area houses Senate District 37 represented by Republican state Sen. Barrow Peacock and House District 5 with GOP state Rep. Alan Seabaugh. The former has averaged over 80 this past term (not including this year) according to the Louisiana Legislature Log’s voting scorecard and the latter has had a mean of 75 (with 100 the maximum conservative/reform score).
Conservatives statewide consider both as standard bearers, in different ways. Peacock prefers staying out of the limelight and tackling nuts-and-bolts issues, while Seabaugh vigorously pushes high-profile issue preferences detested by the political left. Perhaps most famously, Seabaugh was the leading figure in preventing a vote last year to renew a sales tax increase of 0.5 percent. When subsequently only a 0.45 percent hike passed (which he also opposed), in essence he saved Louisiana taxpayers around $240 million a year over seven years.
Given the voting behavior of its legislators, southeast Shreveport might have the most conservative electorate in the state. That area houses Senate District 37 represented by Republican state Sen. Barrow Peacock and House District 5 with GOP state Rep. Alan Seabaugh. The former has averaged over 80 this past term (not including this year) according to the Louisiana Legislature Log’s voting scorecard and the latter has had a mean of 75 (with 100 the maximum conservative/reform score).
Conservatives statewide consider both as standard bearers, in different ways. Peacock prefers staying out of the limelight and tackling nuts-and-bolts issues, while Seabaugh vigorously pushes high-profile issue preferences detested by the political left. Perhaps most famously, Seabaugh was the leading figure in preventing a vote last year to renew a sales tax increase of 0.5 percent. When subsequently only a 0.45 percent hike passed (which he also opposed), in essence he saved Louisiana taxpayers around $240 million a year over seven years.
16.6.19
Race exacerbating political conflict in Webster
The circus continues its run in Webster Parish, which looks
generally bucolic and peaceful but the tumultuous, racially-tinged politics surrounding
it tries the citizenry’s patience.
Its largest municipality Minden has gone through turmoil since the beginning of the year. A power struggle has developed between a black Democrat majority on the City Council and the white Republican mayor, Terry Gardner elected last year, often backed by the two minority white Republicans on the Council. The town has a narrow black population majority.
The tussle has flared particularly over the police department. Gardner and the new no-party white elected chief of police, Steve Cropper, have argued the department faces a staffing crisis and have promoted the hiring of more officers. But in March, the three Democrats rejected the hiring of two apparently qualified candidates. Gardner then vetoed the rejection. Still, this led to the majority’s authoring an ordinance that interposed the Council between the chief’s recommendation and the mayor’s hiring, effectively giving it a veto power over hiring.
Its largest municipality Minden has gone through turmoil since the beginning of the year. A power struggle has developed between a black Democrat majority on the City Council and the white Republican mayor, Terry Gardner elected last year, often backed by the two minority white Republicans on the Council. The town has a narrow black population majority.
The tussle has flared particularly over the police department. Gardner and the new no-party white elected chief of police, Steve Cropper, have argued the department faces a staffing crisis and have promoted the hiring of more officers. But in March, the three Democrats rejected the hiring of two apparently qualified candidates. Gardner then vetoed the rejection. Still, this led to the majority’s authoring an ordinance that interposed the Council between the chief’s recommendation and the mayor’s hiring, effectively giving it a veto power over hiring.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)