New Orleans Council Move Forward

Today FORWARD NEW ORLEANS announces the response of  City Council candidates to  its seven-issue platform  which includes reform mandates on crime, blight, city finance, economic development, city services and infrastructure, city contracting and public education.

FORWARD NEW ORLEANS is a diverse coalition of more than 30 civic, neighborhood and business organizations, which are committed to improving the quality of life in New Orleans. Over the past few weeks, City Council candidates* were given the opportunity to review and discuss FORWARD NEW ORLEANS with members of the coalition. Candidates were then asked to commit, in writing, to the measures outlined in each platform.

All candidates who participated in the interviews now have responded to FORWARD NEW ORLEANS’ request for commitment. FORWARD NEW ORLEANS has created a “scorecard” that will enable voters to easily assess each candidate’s position on a particular issue. The scorecard showing the responses of each candidate is attached.

According to Gregory Rusovich, chairman of the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region and spokesperson for FORWARD NEW ORLEANS, “With the majority support of the candidates for these reform principles, the citizens should have a real sense of optimism about the opportunity for real change after these elections.”   

He explains, “After the elected officials take office, we will regularly assess whether or not those elected are living up to the commitments that they made and report back to the citizens in the most clear and public way possible.”

While a written commitment is a step in the right direction, action and accountability are what New Orleans needs to move forward. The municipal elections of February and March, 2010 will, to a large extent, determine the health and well-being of the City of New Orleans for years—even decades, to come. 

Rusovich adds, “It is our hope that the citizens will vote for candidates based on their support of the seven FORWARD NEW ORLEANS mandates. By doing so, we will elect leaders who have pledged to move New Orleans forward.

“Our scorecard indicates that City Council candidates are indeed in alignment with the citizens, and with this perspective–this way of doing things–we can expect to see principled reform.”

For more information about FORWARD New Orleans, details on all seven issues and to pledge support, citizens are encouraged to visit www.forwardneworleans.com.

*While numerous attempts were made to meet with all of the announced candidates, some candidates could not be reached or scheduled, or chose not to participate.

Louisiana Holds Vehicle Auction

Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis announced today that on Saturday, January 9th, the State of Louisiana will auction 250 surplus vehicles surrendered by state agencies as a result of the commissioner’s efforts to reduce the size of the state’s vehicle fleet.

The 250 vehicles in this sale, following 280 that were made available in a similar auction in December, is considerably more than the average of 90 vehicles usually available at the state’s monthly public auctions, and represent a continuation of this first round of vehicles made available from the reductions. Additional vehicles are expected to be auctioned in the coming months as a result of this ongoing initiative.

Cabinet level offices have identified 841 of their 8,230 passenger/light trucks/vans for surplus as part of Commissioner Davis’ effort to reduce the state’s fleet.  Of those 841 vehicles identified for surplus, 552 have already been delivered to the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency (LPAA).  Of those 552 vehicles delivered to LPAA, 274 were sold during the November and December auctions for $498,950.  The January 9th auction will have another 250 vehicles for sale.

“I have been pleased by the initial response of our cabinet secretaries to this effort, but this just a first step,” said Davis.  “Making significant reductions in the state’s fleet of vehicles, and achieving the corresponding cost savings for government, will require a sustained and determined effort throughout state government.”

In August of last year, Commissioner Davis established a freeze on the purchase of new state government vehicles, with limited exceptions for critical needs like public safety.  That freeze followed previous progress made by the administration to control the size and cost of the state government vehicle fleet.  In Fiscal Year 2008, state agencies and colleges and universities purchased 1,412 vehicles at a total cost of $26,163,700.  In Fiscal Year 2009, they purchased less than half that number of vehicles at less than half the cost: 597 vehicles at a total cost of $11,661,384.

Auction Details

The public can inspect auction vehicles in person starting Wednesday, January 6, through Friday, January 8, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.   The auction gates at the sale site on Saturday, January 9, open at 7:00 a.m.., with bidding on cars to begin at 10 a.m.

The vehicle inspections and auction are held at 1059 Brickyard Lane in Baton Rouge.

Surplus Property Auctions are open to the general public. Registration can be done at any time throughout the auction day and pre-registering is also available on vehicle inspection days.  Citizens must have a valid picture ID to be able to register and bid.

New Orleans Unemployment

The New Orleans metro area tied for the lowest unemployment rate among the nation's largest metropolitan areas, according to a report released today by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unemployment rate for the New Orleans metro area, which includes Metairie and Kenner, was 6.1 percent for November 2009, tied with the Washington, D.C. metro area.

All of Louisiana's metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) ranked in the top quarter of the nation's 372 MSAs for lowest rates, with the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux MSA tied for the ninth lowest rate in the nation.  Houma's rate was 4.6 percent for November 2009.

"This is great news not just for the New Orleans and Houma areas, but for the state as a whole," said Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink.  "These rankings are further evidence that our economy is performing strongly in the face of national economic challenges."

The not seasonally adjusted state rate was 6.3 percent in November 2009.

The U.S. rate was 9.4 percent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures reflect unemployment rates that are not seasonally adjusted. The BLS news release can be accessed at www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf.

For more detailed information on employment data for Louisiana, visit the Louisiana Workforce Commission Web site at www.laworks.net and select Labor Market Information. Then select Monthly Employment Bulletin - Workforce At A Glance or Monthly Employment Statistics Press Release for the latest monthly nonfarm and labor force data.

Louisiana Workforce Commission Press Release

New Orleans Drains

The City of New Orleans Department of Public Works has begun a $90,000 project to clean more than 400 drainage catch basins and drainage system laterals, or the connectors between the catch basins and the underground drainage system.

This is the third major catch basin cleaning project the City has initiated since Hurricane Katrina. This phase is being undertaken in advance of the rainy spring season.

Louisiana Technology Council

NEXT MEMBERSHIP ORIENTATION:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010, 5:00pm to 6:00pm

1215 Prytania St. - Suite 301, New Orleans 

New, Renewing and Future Members Welcome! 

Join us to hear how LTC membership can work for you and your business.  Find out about our partnership with the Jefferson Chamber, learn about our online member directory, how to post your events and press releases, and much more!
 

 Free for all - register at:  

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Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame

On December 30th 2009, The parent nonprofit of the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame (LMHOF) program completed all formal arrangements to officially acquire the Louisiana Songwriters Association (LSA), another nonprofit organization with a 26 year history.

The alignment of the two organizations is timely to LMHOF's previously announced intention to celebrate 2010 as the Year of the Song as proclaimed in 2009 by Governor Bobby Jindal.  LMHOF has also established a Web site at www.YEAROFTHESONGLA.com where announcements about Year of the Song events and activities by the two groups will be posted and the Governor's Official proclamation and LMHOF's commemorative artwork can be viewed. 

Mike Shepherd, who now serves as executive director of both groups, says LSA has been both streamlined and greatly augmented and has already set up www.LAsongs.org where a newly established Louisiana Songwriters Hall Of Fame resides.  The inaugural members of this LSA recognition group were drawn from inductees already found in LMHOF’s main list of legendary members and its dedicated Songwriters' Annex section. "In the future, there will be, as now, concurrent members, as well as independently inducted members to each Songwriters honors group based on their level of achievement," Shepherd explains.

"The two organizations will work together to offer several events and year-long programs to raise awareness and promote Louisiana's songs, songwriters, music and artists with the goal of moving Louisiana's music industry forward,” Shepherd says.  “We have had programming for songwriters in the master plan since our inception. The Governor’s proclamation and this opportunity to align with an existing songwriters group compelled us to join in the effort to celebrate the song and the songwriter’s craft in the coming year as a priority for the Hall of Fame.” 

LSA was incorporated in 1984 and extended its involvement with songwriters across the state during its most active years. Citing personal and time commitment issues, founder Janice Calvert issued this statement about the transition: "We have such an abundance of talent in this state that needs to be acknowledged… Sometimes it was difficult to get those in "control of the industry" to acknowledge us."

 “We have a tremendous musical legacy that is recognized worldwide,” Calvert continues. “ I am proud to say that what I hoped for has finally happened.  On December 30, 2009, Mike Shepherd of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and I met, and merged the two non-profits. I believe that this was meant to be.  What's important now is that we do everything we can to work together and help make it a reality."  

LMHOF & LSA also announce the creation of LSA’s own Executive Board of Advisors which includes Calvert and noted songwriters such as Danny Cohen aka Casey Kelly (The Cowboy Rides Away), Tony Haselden (That's My Story & I'm Stickin' to It), Leon Medica (New Orleans Ladies), Emmy and Academy Award-winning composer Bill Conti (Rocky and For Your Eyes Only), Dick Holler (Abraham, Martin & John) and rising Louisiana artist and songwriter David St. Romain.  Others will be added as LSA’s activity progresses.

The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame program is under the auspices of the certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit La Musique de Louisianne, Inc. LMHOF plans to induct more than 100 additional music hit makers and pioneers associated with the state’s rich and diverse music legacy, and to provide special recognition to many more regional favorites and to luminaries in songwriting, producing and recording.  The group also envisions physical exhibits and a raft of educational and promotional activities and programs advancing its mission as the program progresses.

For more information about The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and La Musique de Louisianne, Inc., please visit www.LMHOF.org.   The organization also maintains “Louisiana Music Hall of Fame” pages and video links on Facebook, You Tube and MySpace. For more information on the Louisiana Songwriters Association Inc., please visit www.LASONGS.org. There is also currently a "Louisiana Songwriters Association" facebook group and page on MySpace