Shreveport won’t let Ellerbe Park’s people go
https://www.theinquisitor.com/columns-opinions/shreveport-won%E2%80%99t-let-ellerbe-park%E2%80%99s-people-go
Links:
https://www.ktbs.com/news/two-men-pushing-efforts-for-shreveport-community-to-form-its/article_20fb1420-5f37-11ea-8404-cbea6d2cb5c9.html
https://www.facebook.com/ellerbepark/
https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=89389
https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=89403
https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=89410
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/shreveport-la/
https://law.justia.com/cases/louisiana/supreme-court/1983/82-c-1797-1.html
19.3.20
LA should consider nuanced response to virus
In
Louisiana’s response to the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, policy-makers must
keep in mind that not only is it essentially a New Orleans-area problem, but
that in per capita terms New Orleans right now is one of the world’s
most dangerous hotspots for the disease.
While some elected officials have highlighted Louisiana’s incidence as something like one of the three highest per capita states, most have missed the fact that Orleans Parish has the second-highest rate per capita of any metropolitan county in the country. As of this morning, an astonishing 1 in fewer than 1,700 Orleanians have or had the virus. Extrapolate this nationwide and that would indicate over 193,000 cases when in fact the U.S. has reported only 10,442, and worldwide outside the U.S. the number is about 226,000.
King County, the location of Seattle, WA has drawn the most attention since the virus appeared there first in the U.S. But its incidence ratio is twice as high as Orleans’. The only ratio lower has appeared in Westchester County, NY: with about a million people, it has nearly 800 cases.
While some elected officials have highlighted Louisiana’s incidence as something like one of the three highest per capita states, most have missed the fact that Orleans Parish has the second-highest rate per capita of any metropolitan county in the country. As of this morning, an astonishing 1 in fewer than 1,700 Orleanians have or had the virus. Extrapolate this nationwide and that would indicate over 193,000 cases when in fact the U.S. has reported only 10,442, and worldwide outside the U.S. the number is about 226,000.
King County, the location of Seattle, WA has drawn the most attention since the virus appeared there first in the U.S. But its incidence ratio is twice as high as Orleans’. The only ratio lower has appeared in Westchester County, NY: with about a million people, it has nearly 800 cases.
18.3.20
Can reformer win LA superintendent job?
At least in one respect business as usual goes on
with Louisiana’s Board of Elementary and
Secondary Education: selecting a new
permanent leader.
Recently, the Board proposed a slew of measures related to the closure of schools for a month by Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards last week. Essentially, these dismantle all accountability measures for students, educators, schools, and districts. Ironically, this bow to reality for this academic year creates an environment close to what Edwards would want in regards to the issue of accountability, so he will issue the necessary proclamations with relish.
But Edwards, his teacher union allies, and many on the political left would like to see more than just a temporary acceptance of this agenda thrust upon the state by fate, and going beyond that begin with appointing a new state superintendent sympathetic to their views. Longtime superintendent John White – who very much supported an accountability agenda the opposite of Edwards and these others – exited last week, and BESE has begun the process of finding his replacement.
Recently, the Board proposed a slew of measures related to the closure of schools for a month by Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards last week. Essentially, these dismantle all accountability measures for students, educators, schools, and districts. Ironically, this bow to reality for this academic year creates an environment close to what Edwards would want in regards to the issue of accountability, so he will issue the necessary proclamations with relish.
But Edwards, his teacher union allies, and many on the political left would like to see more than just a temporary acceptance of this agenda thrust upon the state by fate, and going beyond that begin with appointing a new state superintendent sympathetic to their views. Longtime superintendent John White – who very much supported an accountability agenda the opposite of Edwards and these others – exited last week, and BESE has begun the process of finding his replacement.
17.3.20
Edwards ban also carries political ends
Never let a crisis go to waste: Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards may
wish to see the 2020 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature do as little
as possible, and he’s found the circumstance to prompt that.
His latest proclamation dealing with the Wuhan coronavirus until Apr. 13 limits gatherings to 50 people, which undercuts the House of Representatives and its 144 members plus staff. It also puts on the rivet the 39-member Senate, when including staff. Worse for legislators, access to bars and restaurants is cut off except for take-out and delivery of food. Leaders decided to halt proceedings for at least two weeks.
Such a draconian response by Edwards might be necessary for the health and general public as a whole, but it serves a political purpose as well. On its present trajectory, the Legislature is poised to hand Edwards some significant defeats while little of his agenda has any chance of coming to fruition.
His latest proclamation dealing with the Wuhan coronavirus until Apr. 13 limits gatherings to 50 people, which undercuts the House of Representatives and its 144 members plus staff. It also puts on the rivet the 39-member Senate, when including staff. Worse for legislators, access to bars and restaurants is cut off except for take-out and delivery of food. Leaders decided to halt proceedings for at least two weeks.
Such a draconian response by Edwards might be necessary for the health and general public as a whole, but it serves a political purpose as well. On its present trajectory, the Legislature is poised to hand Edwards some significant defeats while little of his agenda has any chance of coming to fruition.
16.3.20
Postponement overreach due to other factors
Louisiana postponed its
scheduled Apr. 4 elections until late June in part for reasons that have nothing
to do with the Wuhan coronavirus declared a pandemic.
Last week, Republican Sec. of State Kyle Ardoin said he would request (under R.S. 18:401.1) for Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards to delay these elections through executive order (which he
technically he hadn’t done through the weekend just posted). Knocking these back to Jun.
20, with any runoffs to occur Jul. 25, Ardoin justified this by noting the
relatively older age of many election commissioners and that voters with certain
maladies, both groups having increased risk of contracting the disease, would escape
potential exposure to the disease.
Between now and then, eight states will hold primaries or caucuses for at least one major party, along with other elections, but only Georgia at present also has postponed its presidential nominee selections, and only to May 19. That makes more sense on the surface.
Last week, Republican Sec. of State Kyle Ardoin said he would request (under R.S. 18:401.1) for Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards to delay these elections through executive order (
Between now and then, eight states will hold primaries or caucuses for at least one major party, along with other elections, but only Georgia at present also has postponed its presidential nominee selections, and only to May 19. That makes more sense on the surface.
13.3.20
The Inquisitor column, Mar. 13, 2020
The circus at Bossier City hall continues ...
Links:
https://www.ktbs.com/news/bossier-city-council-looks-to-lease-civic-center/article_0ccd6288-4136-11ea-8c2c-37b1188247a8.html
https://www.bossiernow.com/bossier-city-council-considers-civic-center-lease-puts-the-public-on-the-clock/
https://www.bossiernow.com/williams-says-it-was-the-mayor-and-cao-who-decided-to-fire-civic-center-vendor/
Links:
https://www.ktbs.com/news/bossier-city-council-looks-to-lease-civic-center/article_0ccd6288-4136-11ea-8c2c-37b1188247a8.html
https://www.bossiernow.com/bossier-city-council-considers-civic-center-lease-puts-the-public-on-the-clock/
https://www.bossiernow.com/williams-says-it-was-the-mayor-and-cao-who-decided-to-fire-civic-center-vendor/
Turbulent times require LA revenue downgrade
As Louisiana political leaders assert
they’ll come up with a quickie budget in case they have to move fast, they
must recognize the other shoe will drop with lagging state revenues.
Yesterday, the Legislature’s Republican leadership described efforts to put together a contingency package, sparked by fears if Wuhan coronavirus could continue for some time to radiate as rapidly as it has then the Legislature would have to shut down. Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards joined them in that assessment. The state has to have its several budgets complete for next fiscal year by Jun. 30.
But they have to recognize that to rely even on existing official revenue forecasts likely overestimates the money the state will have available for the next 12 months starting Jul. 1. The Edwards Administration made an attempt to create estimates $103 million higher in the general fund as part of $285 million more in spending, backed by other increases in sources of revenues such as dedications. However, GOP leaders argued for a much lower number, which Edwards’ Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne rejected.
Yesterday, the Legislature’s Republican leadership described efforts to put together a contingency package, sparked by fears if Wuhan coronavirus could continue for some time to radiate as rapidly as it has then the Legislature would have to shut down. Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards joined them in that assessment. The state has to have its several budgets complete for next fiscal year by Jun. 30.
But they have to recognize that to rely even on existing official revenue forecasts likely overestimates the money the state will have available for the next 12 months starting Jul. 1. The Edwards Administration made an attempt to create estimates $103 million higher in the general fund as part of $285 million more in spending, backed by other increases in sources of revenues such as dedications. However, GOP leaders argued for a much lower number, which Edwards’ Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne rejected.
11.3.20
Right LA primary analysis, wrong guy
Right analysis, wrong agent.
A month ago, I wrote that Louisiana Democrats wouldn’t have any real influence over their party’s presidential nomination. With so many delegates elsewhere to be decided by the first Saturday in April – a position dictated because the holiday and elections calendar conflicted – the history of a nominee decided by then made it highly likely to neuter Democrats’ votes for this contest.
But I had the wrong guy. At the time, it appeared independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had the path necessary to win. His closest ideological competitor Democrat Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren had performed well below expectations and seemed an obvious choice to depart the contest. Meanwhile, party establishment favorite Democrat former Vice Pres. Joe Biden flagged in the polls as he threw off gaffe after gaffe and Democrats’ recent attempt to impeach and remove Republican Pres. Donald Trump shone more unfavorable light on Biden’s activities in office, and independent former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared poised to convert a lot of campaign cash into primary votes, splitting opposition to Sanders.
A month ago, I wrote that Louisiana Democrats wouldn’t have any real influence over their party’s presidential nomination. With so many delegates elsewhere to be decided by the first Saturday in April – a position dictated because the holiday and elections calendar conflicted – the history of a nominee decided by then made it highly likely to neuter Democrats’ votes for this contest.
But I had the wrong guy. At the time, it appeared independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had the path necessary to win. His closest ideological competitor Democrat Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren had performed well below expectations and seemed an obvious choice to depart the contest. Meanwhile, party establishment favorite Democrat former Vice Pres. Joe Biden flagged in the polls as he threw off gaffe after gaffe and Democrats’ recent attempt to impeach and remove Republican Pres. Donald Trump shone more unfavorable light on Biden’s activities in office, and independent former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared poised to convert a lot of campaign cash into primary votes, splitting opposition to Sanders.
10.3.20
Oil price plunge unmasks false Edwards claim
There goes not only the supposed budgetary surplus
for this and the upcoming fiscal year, but also a fake accomplishment Democrat
Gov. John Bel Edwards
alleged throughout his reelection campaign last year.
At the last meeting of the Revenue Estimating Conference, Edwards’ representative Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne got all hot and bothered when House Speaker Republican Clay Schexnayder rejected his desire to have the panel declare that the state had $170 million more for this fiscal year and $103 million for the approaching one. The speaker argued for, respectively, lower and dramatically lower figures, saying they should keep “some conservative in the forecast.”
Dardenne objected to this that he called a politicization of REC forecasting – despite the process set up to induce political judgment into its decision-making – and voted to prevent the lower forecasts favored by Schexnayder and GOP Senate Pres. Page Cortez from becoming official. By doing so, he ended up keeping even more conservative in the official prediction, which remained unchanged from last year. And that has turned out to be a good thing.
At the last meeting of the Revenue Estimating Conference, Edwards’ representative Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne got all hot and bothered when House Speaker Republican Clay Schexnayder rejected his desire to have the panel declare that the state had $170 million more for this fiscal year and $103 million for the approaching one. The speaker argued for, respectively, lower and dramatically lower figures, saying they should keep “some conservative in the forecast.”
Dardenne objected to this that he called a politicization of REC forecasting – despite the process set up to induce political judgment into its decision-making – and voted to prevent the lower forecasts favored by Schexnayder and GOP Senate Pres. Page Cortez from becoming official. By doing so, he ended up keeping even more conservative in the official prediction, which remained unchanged from last year. And that has turned out to be a good thing.
9.3.20
Parade "hate" throws constitutionally protected
Carnival krewes can chunk
what many see as racist throws, and there’s not a thing Louisiana or any of
its municipalities can do to stop it.
Democrat state Sen. Troy Carter made news when he introduced SB 261, which would ban the tossing of “hate-related objects” during a parade or demonstration, that he called inspired by the story of young boy catching a throw featuring a caricature of a black man holding a watermelon with a noose around his neck. It proposes heavy fines and prison time for the thrower, although if not identifiable then fining the organization.
It’s a publicity stunt, because such a law violates the U.S. Constitution in many ways, starting with basic free speech rights. If someone wants to go around spouting racist themes by print, speech/broadcast, or, in this instance, symbol, you’re free to do so. And, naturally, what is a “hate-related” object, which the bill doesn’t define?
Democrat state Sen. Troy Carter made news when he introduced SB 261, which would ban the tossing of “hate-related objects” during a parade or demonstration, that he called inspired by the story of young boy catching a throw featuring a caricature of a black man holding a watermelon with a noose around his neck. It proposes heavy fines and prison time for the thrower, although if not identifiable then fining the organization.
It’s a publicity stunt, because such a law violates the U.S. Constitution in many ways, starting with basic free speech rights. If someone wants to go around spouting racist themes by print, speech/broadcast, or, in this instance, symbol, you’re free to do so. And, naturally, what is a “hate-related” object, which the bill doesn’t define?
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