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.

State GOP does best with restrained endorsing

It’s two steps forward, one step back for Louisiana’s state Republican Party on an endorsement process that has roiled two congressional elections.

Earlier this week, the party endorsed state Sen. Blake Miguez for the Sixth District contest. This brought remonstrations from the other leading candidate to win the seat, state Sen. Rick Edmonds. The process involves enough state central committee members within the boundaries of the district petitioning for an endorsement, with the final approval given by the party’s Executive Committee as usually happens.

Both candidates received the requisite support, but the Committee selected only Miguez. After the controversy flared in the media, the Committee hastily reconvened and awarded an endorsement to Edmonds as well – the first time this century the party had endorsed two candidates in a House contest.

State GOP Miguez nod unlikely to affect CD 6 race

It might inflame passions for those involved, but it’s likely going to make little difference that the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee on behalf of the state party endorsed GOP state Sen. Blake Miguez for the Sixth Congressional District over GOP state Sen. Rick Edmonds.

This weekend, the Committee, a subset of party officers of the much larger SCC, after the SCC nominated both Edmonds and Miguez for consideration of the endorsement. Ultimately, the Committee considered only Miguez and delivered it to him. Edmonds felt aggrieved by this, claiming that a small collection of party insiders that have been big boosters of Miguez steered debate completely away from considering him.

A party endorsement unlocks money from both the state party and the Republican National Committee, as well as in-kind services from the state party, plus Miguez can tout the endorsement. However, state resources contributed are expected to be minimal.

Bossier City, Parish acts increase accountability

In a development that lately has run counter the field of play, the Bossier Parish Police Jury backed down on an issue that involved skirting the law – seemingly, echoing a prominent Bossier City appointee falling on his sword likely over a negative report.

The Jury in recent years has made it a habit of dancing on the precipice of what’s legal and what’s not, in the process violating the spirit of the law if not the intent. As an example of the former, the Jury continues complying with the law concerning transmission of its and its committee meetings, but in the most minimal way possible (although it did recently begin to post its informational packet for each meeting prior to them, years after all other major local governmental organizations in the area). As an example of the latter, for months it illegally allowed its former parish administrator to act as the head of libraries and allowed him to serve as the parish head executive even though he really resided outside the parish contrary to law.

But over two years of openly flouting the law regarding the parish Library Board of Control apparently it couldn’t stomach any longer. Last week, it amended its ordinance about the Board to bring it closer in line with state law. Previously, the ordinance had set membership only at five parish citizens, but the amending expanded it to many as seven and it clarified the length of terms, making it basically the same as in statute.

New center boosts Arceneaux at Young’s expense

Last week wasn’t so hot for Shreveport mayoral candidate Republican Caddo Parish Commissioner John-Paul Young. By contrast, it went pretty well for incumbent Republican Mayor Tom Arceneaux.

At the Commission’s work session Monday, Young offered up a resolution that would have placed a two-year moratorium on data center siting in the parish. He also wanted to advance to Thursday’s regular meeting a resolution by a colleague to require more onerous environmental impact studies on centers.

Instead, commissioners, perhaps because resolutions don’t have the force of law, decided to send the matters to committee. Only an ordinance would be enforceable, but legally the parish can’t pass one on this matter because it doesn’t have a master plan. That came as a consequence of the separation of the parish and Shreveport from joint zoning for a portion of parish jurisdiction a few years ago, leaving a good chunk of the parish unregulated.

PSC must rule to attract centers, help ratepayers

Economic prosperity through data centers is being thrown into Louisiana’s lap. But it’s not enough just to solve the puzzle of economic incentives; political necessities all need attending to.

It turns out that a number of states, run by Democrats, are throwing up roadblocks if not banning outright data centers, on claims that they hog too much water and raise electrical rates. Certainly, the Monroe area, while seeing a surge in business and tax receipts as a result of siting the Hyperion project in Richland Parish, also has witnessed negative externalities that could sour people on the idea.

However, such assertions ignore how other states, many farther along in the game, have engaged in policies that sidestep bothersome spillover effects. After all, they don’t have guns pointed at them, forcing them to hand out no-strings massive incentives.

LA children to benefit from new Head Start rules

Impending rules changes by the Republican Pres. Donald Trump Administration to running the Head Start programs for pre-kindergarten education will be a boon to Louisiana.

The program is designed provide free child care, allegedly with part of that provision of basic instruction to children from infants up to about five years old, to families who are at the 130 percent poverty level (about the same level as those qualifying for free or heavily discounted health care for states with expanded Medicaid), or in foster care, or who are homeless. It exists in parallel to monies spent by states on similar services to nonqualifying families.

It is, however, typically more expensive to taxpayers –- federal ones, as it exists as a roughly $12 billion grant program going directly to states – than spending per slot by state taxpayers for their separate programs, reaching about $20,000 annually on average for the 0-2 age group program and $15,000 for the 3-5. In large part this is due to the far more stringent regulations the programs have than their state, with one exception, equivalents have.