End govt preferences bias in electioneering

It’s time for Louisiana to make campaigns concerning ballot propositions more impartial, taking away a bias that favors government preferences.

State law does not address how local governments may involve themselves in elections such as on taxation matters. Nor does it require local governments to regulate electioneering; some, like Bossier Parish, put matters like legal placement of campaign signs in a Unified Development Code or elsewhere in their code of ordinances.

Livingston Parish does not, making no mention of the issue at all. That’s why a sign has appeared on Walker High School property visible to traffic concerning an “OPERATIONS FUNDING RENEWAL” for “Livingston Parish Public Schools” asking viewers to “VOTE October 14,” and, for those not swift on the uptake, reiterates that “This is NOT a new tax!”

LA one step closer to legalized hooting up

Louisiana has gotten one step closer to hooting up in mass by securing both cannabis distribution channels relative to a permissive medical marijuana law that legalization proponents don’t like.

Last week, Southern University chose the Lafayette shell company Advanced Biomedics to operate the school’s medical marijuana business. Until 2020, statute allows Southern and Louisiana State University to do so, each by itself or through proxy, producing all but inhalable cannabis products while emphasizing reduced THC levels, for “recommendation” by physicians to address a variety of ailments.

LSU previously chose GB Sciences, based in Nevada, as its operator. Given federal laws’ prohibition on growing the cannabis sativa plant, although state law said only the two Baton Rouge-based universities could grow the crop, each has farmed out the task over concerns that doing it themselves might threaten receipt of federal research grants.

Caddo rebel monument on the move ... maybe

Except for a Hail Mary that would shake up more than just the current dispute, it looks as if the Confederate monument by the Caddo Parish Courthouse will head to the dustbin of history.

Last week, the full Caddo Parish Commission voted to advance an ordinance to move the object. On Oct. 19 the vote on the actual measure will come, but the balloting that pushed the matter forward and on another signals high certainty that this will succeed.

During its Monday work session prior to the Thursday regular meeting, Commissioner Lyndon Johnson proposed the movement. With little debate, commissioners voted 8-4 to put the item on the future agenda, with Commissioners John Atkins, Mario Chavez, Doug Dominick, and Jim Smith opposing. This disregarded the recommendation of a task force set up by the Commission that called for adding monuments or other material to the area next to the existing object that would expand the historical overview about the object and, more generally, address race relations.

Battle to come over last year's surprise surplus?

Just because Louisiana finds itself with a surplus in closing out fiscal year 2017 doesn’t mean it can’t apply this money to next fiscal year.

Realized revenues for last fiscal year went $143.2 million above the budgeted baseline. It might hit $143 million. But, as it becomes in a sense “bonus” money, those kinds of dollars the state only may spent on a set of nonrecurring items, classified in the Constitution as paying off bonds early, reducing the unfunded accrued liability in retirement accounts, spending on capital outlay (especially for roads with federal matching funds available), filling the Budget Stabilization Fund, or engaging in coastal restoration efforts. The law also gives priority to the BSF and UAL, designating a minimum of 25 percent (or, if greater, $25 million) and 10 percent, respectively, of any declared surplus goes to these.

House Speaker Taylor Barras already has voiced a preference to put at least $99 million into the BSF. That would repay draining it that amount in the year’s first special session, although the BSF statutory ceiling would allow depositing a much larger amount. By the numbers, with the recently found money at least $35.8 million must go to the BSF and $14.3 million to chip away at the UAL.

The Advocate column, Sep. 24, 2017

These Louisiana elected offices should disappear
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/jeff_sadow/article_cb111e2e-9e5e-11e7-b3f4-f306a259e9fc.html

Links:
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/politics/article_59618bf8-98c6-11e7-95e3-73f73b103020.html
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/politics/article_b7b4701e-88f2-11e7-a2a0-67b784af4cbb.html
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2013/12/minyard_announces_his_retireme.html
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/politics/article_6f5b1332-9977-11e7-8c03-7b3f98611b32.html
http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Laws_Toc.aspx?folder=72&level=Parent

Report should spur reduced LA teacher leave

As bad as teacher absences are in Louisiana traditional public schools, it could be worse, data from a recent report show, yet it can become better with enlightened leadership.

It never hurts to state the obvious, and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute did just that by comparing absenteeism of Louisiana teachers in traditional compared to charter schools: teachers in traditional schools have a rate almost three times that of those in charter schools. Duh; considering that traditional public school teachers have had a fairly malleable evaluation system where fewer that one in a hundred draw remediation for incompetent performance (although evaluations become more rigorous starting this year), and school districts give off at least ten sick/emergency including two personal days a year, they have every incentive to take all of those days, leaving classrooms in the hands of substitutes largely often without college degrees with districts footing additional costs as a result.

A dozen days are average among the 35 states with significant numbers of charter schools. In Louisiana, the law mandates at least ten sick days with the two days but sick, not personal, days may accumulate. Teachers absent more than five days consecutively must provide documentation of the illness, but days taken here or there they can take one with impunity, up to their banked days.

Cassidy receives reminder of left's agenda

If Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy hadn’t realized it after a decade in politics, he knows it now: these people aren’t your allies, much less your friends.

Some months ago, Cassidy remarked that he would like to see health care insurance reform pass a “Jimmy Kimmel test.” This referred to a sometimes humorous but politically vapid late-night television talk show host whose son was born with a heart problem. Having Cassidy on his show, Kimmel ventured the eponymous test should be “no family should be denied medical care, emergency or otherwise, because they can’t afford it.”

If so, the misnamed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) fails. It doesn’t provide such a guarantee because it leaves over 28 million uninsured, with more on the way as it continues to drive premium prices higher – up on average 60 percent since full Obamacare implementation in 2013. Further, the related Medicaid expansion does not increase the amount of medical care delivered because insurance and actual delivery are two different things.

Treasurer's choice illustrates Democrats' atrophy

So, it’s come to this: in a treasurer’s field containing one of their own, Louisiana Democrats may vote for a Republican because he seems to them least likely to use that office as a springboard for something more exalted.

That seems like the plan for at least some high-profile New Orleans elected Democrats who back state Sen. Neil Riser in the race to fill out the term of now-Sen. John Kennedy. The Columbia Republican faces off against, among others, fellow GOP former state Rep. John Schroder and past Secretary of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism Secretary as well as former Commissioner of Administration Angéle Davis. Also, he competes against a Libertarian, another Republican, and a Democrat.

But the Democrat, Derrick Edwards, has failed to gain the backing of the state party and any of its influential elected officials, even though polling puts him in a runoff. He would seem to have potential: for a party that takes great store in finding “victims” supposedly needing redress for the oppression/discrimination they face, Edwards ticks off the two boxes of racial minority and disability. Additionally, he has an inspirational story of suffering quadriplegia yet persevering to earn advanced college degrees, most recently law in which he currently practices.

All-GOP lineup challenges in LA PSC contest

For Louisiana Public Service Commission District 2, what’s a Democrat or Republican voter to do? 

They face different challenges in the election next month to replace the vacated seat. For Democrats, they not only don’t have a horse in the race, but solely Republicans entered the starting gate. For Republicans, they must figure out how to choose among the three.

Lining up are former state Rep. Damon Baldone, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Craig Greene, and former state Rep. Lenar Whitney. Each has different charms and warts depending upon the partisan leanings of a voter.

The Advocate column, Sep. 17, 2017

With a third opportunity open, it's time for La. to make change in BRF-operated hospitals
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/jeff_sadow/article_4bddf546-98af-11e7-ba5f-1f1a42b191d0.html

Links:
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_8883bf3e-9801-11e7-8031-835c728bf9e7.html
https://www.ktbs.com/news/state-lsu-file-breach-of-contract-notice-against-brf/article_09103ef2-97cb-11e7-8228-7bd0304e6b1e.html
http://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/2016/10/la-continues-experiment-with-shaky.html
https://www.facebook.com/shreveporttimes/posts/10154334911765344
http://710keel.com/senator-greg-tarver-says-hes-against-hb-667/
http://710keel.com/glover-comments-on-john-bel-suit-to-boot-brf-video/
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_af87569c-426e-11e7-a856-df9eadead9a5.html