On Tuesday, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal sent out this message to Louisiana offering New Year's greetings and assessing this past year and the future:
Dear Friends,
Governor Jindal speaks at a recent press conference regarding the state budget
Happy New Year
We would like to wish you and your family a Happy New Year’s – complete with the black-eyed peas and cabbage that I know the kids love so much.
In the past year we have taken some huge steps forward that will change the future of our state for the better. We have revamped our state’s workforce development systems, strengthened our ethics laws – which are now some of the strongest in the country – and cut harmful taxes on Louisiana families and businesses.
We have changed the mentality of our state, and have, as quoted in the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, “[broken] dramatically with past corruption and the pay-to-play mentality” that held our state back for so long. There is still much more work left to be done, and we will continue to make the necessary changes to ensure that Louisiana is the best place in the world to raise a family, get a quality education, and pursue a rewarding career.
Protecting our Economy
We continue to take critical steps in order to ensure that our state’s economy remains strong and that our budget remains in check. Though we are certainly better off than many states across the country, we will not be immune to the effects of this national economic downturn.
First, in response to the Revenue Estimating Conference’s projections of a deficit in the current year’s budget, we have proposed reductions of $341 million from that budget. This includes cuts throughout state government, and not solely from higher education and health care. As written in the Monroe News-Star, “instead of making higher education and health care carry most of the burden of state cutbacks, [we will] issue an executive order for a 3 percent belt-tightening across the board.” Even with these savings, we have still increased higher education and health care funding over last year’s levels.
As we must also learn to do more with less, we recently mandated a limited hiring freeze on 1,000 state government positions that will help cut costs this year, as well as pay for the costs associated with Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Additionally, many of these positions will most likely be eliminated to further savings for next year’s budget as well.
One thing we will not do is use the state’s Rainy Day Fund this fiscal year, as this will not help fix the basic budget issues we are facing and could serve to hurt us in the future. We will also not raise taxes to help cover the deficit, as taking hard-earned money out of our residents’ pockets is no way to help the economy.
In order to increase transparency in state spending, we have published the “Efficiency and Effectiveness Audit” report online. This comes following the introduction of LaTrac, the online spending database that allows all Louisianians to have access to how their tax dollars are spent.
Also, as reported by the Baton Rouge Advocate, due to a recent change in law “Louisiana businesses will pay lower unemployment insurance taxes…and workers without a job will be eligible for higher benefits.” This change will have the double effect of lessening the tax burden on Louisiana’s business while increasing aid for those Louisiana families in need.
Additionally, we are working to accelerate approved public works projects in order to stimulate job growth. We are expediting the Louisiana Recovery Authority’s CDBG Infrastructure projects, and the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has let 74 restructuring and resurfacing projects totaling $90 million. Several other DOTD projects have been fast-tracked as well.
Finally, our efforts to bring new businesses to Louisiana and help those already here expand have brought our state an increasing number of jobs, income, and population. We have secured dozens of economic development opportunities that have led to the retention of 8,600 jobs, 16,700 new jobs, and more than $1.9 billion in capital investment. Additionally, our population grew by nearly 40,000 residents this year. This includes, as reported in the Baton Rouge Advocate, our state ranking eighth of 17 southern states in terms of population influx, a drastic change from recent years where we were the only southern state to lose population.
As we move forward this year we will continue working to bring new jobs and new opportunities to our state, while finding innovative ways for state government to run more efficiently at a smaller cost. While our state will certainly not be immune to all the effects of a national economic crisis, we are taking precautions to ensure that we continue to outperform the national economy. We have persevered through tough times in the past, and we will once again do so now.
Moving Forward with Health Reform
The Legislature recently passed our Louisiana Health First Initiative, and we will now turn to working with federal officials to gain final approval on revamping our state’s health care system. This waiver could save our state $321 Million that we would otherwise have to repay to the federal government, and has the potential to save our state millions in the future by increasing access to preventative care and keeping patients with non-emergency issues out of emergency rooms.
As reported by the New Orleans Times-Picayune, we are aiming to “expand coverage to reach more low-income households and…transform Medicaid from a system paying individual claims from medical providers into a system of privately run managed-care networks that offer integrated, comprehensive health plans.” These plans will give patients better access to preventative care, which will lead to better health care outcomes for our residents and dollars saved for the state. As written by the Alexandria Town Talk, “Key to the administration's plan is a shift in focus -- to health education, front-end prevention and early intervention, in addition to effective treatment.”
Louisiana has languished at the bottom of health care rankings for too long – and now is the time for change. Through our plans to expand coverage, encourage providers to work together, and create a first class academic and research center, we can transform our state’s health care system into a model for the rest of the country.
Improving our Transportation Infrastructure
We have also been able to take some important steps towards improving our state’s transportation systems. Yesterday, I traveled to Denham Springs to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony signaling the completion of the widening of Louisiana Highway 16, which serves more than 25,000 residents daily.
Last week I visited Ida as the first ceremonial concrete was poured towards completing Interstate 49 to the Arkansas border. Completing I-49 North will be a boost to the economy of Northwest Louisiana, and shows our commitment to ensuring continued economic development in the area.
We also recently signed a contract that will begin the widening of Interstate 12 eastbound in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes. This $100 million project will help alleviate traffic concerns in the area, as well as make the road safer for commuters and other residents. These three projects are important steps towards making our state’s roads better and safer, and we will continue to begin projects throughout this year across the state that will help modernize our transportation systems.
Meeting Residents Statewide
I was honored to welcome home Louisiana National Guardsmen returning from Iraq last Tuesday at the Baton Rouge Airport. These guardsmen, women, and their families have all sacrificed so much for our country, and it was my privilege to be there when they returned home.
I was also able to celebrate John Deere Day in Opelousas along with nearly 250 of our state’s farmers. Agriculture is a very important part of our state’s future, and we must ensure that the families that make it their life’s work to feed our nation and the world receive the support they need. As I said in the Opelousas Daily World, “if we lose the ability (to be self-sufficient in agriculture) we will never get it back.”
Finally, over the past few weeks we have held town hall meetings in Calhoun, LaPlace and Quitman. As noted in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, I always welcome the opportunity to speak with residents about their concerns and share what we have accomplished since taking office last January.
I am sort of opposite of your philosophy on this one KP... I am not worried about bringing in more people so they can pay more taxes to support government workers, in fact, I think Bobby Boy should focus on a 20% across the board reduction in wages for all state workers...... That is a little more in line with your earlier position of 'not spending money we don't have to spend'...... If the teamsters for Roadway, the largest trucking company in the world, can take a 10 or 20% cut to keep their jobs, benefits, healthcare, why then can't the government do the same??? Oh, I forgot, they are royalty and we are peasants...... Well, back to the grinding wheel so I can grind more wheat for their bread............ Written by
on 1/14/2009
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I understand the effect lower crude oil prices have on our state's budget, I'm simply saying we need to have a populace that is employed and earns enough money to be taxed to support our local and state government, instead of depending on others to provide for us (I know, I know, a shocking concept for Democrats, but one we should strive for nonetheless). The economic crises will - eventually I think - cause government to have less money going out for various BS that government like to spend money on. I'm sure that will only happen when they realize they cannot spend, borrow or bail themselves out of this "crises." Written by kpf
on 1/10/2009
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Light, sweet crude for February delivery fell $1.72, more than 4 percent, to $39.98 on the New York Mercantile Exchange...... Friday's decline capped another bad week for oil prices, though crude at one point rose above $50 a barrel from a five-year low of $33.87 on Dec. 19. ******* $28 bucks a barrel right around the corner.... Why? because no one will have the money to buy gasoline and it has to be disposed of somehow.... sooooooooooo...... $1.01 a gallon..... Unless of course the government throws in a 2 or 3 dollar a gallon tax... But then again, if people can't afford gasoline, what makes the guv think they can afford taxes either.... Ohhhhh, I know, they are going to take the money away from people and give it to all the good little boys and girls...... And the rest can do without - - Ha!-Ha!-Ha!-ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Written by
on 1/9/2009
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In other words KP, as oil prices slump, more taxes are put on the backs of common citizens..... and the state does not really seem interested in reducing its operational costs..... And most everything is hype and motivational speeches to keep the complaints from the ordinary masses to a low or modest grumbling..... Written by
on 1/9/2009
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Excellent proxy oxy more ons there KP..... Low oil prices? That equals less royalty skimmed from the top of the barrel for the keeping and care of the royalty {state workers}... Bobby is pretty much a one trick pony, and he is resorting to the only trick he knows in an attempt to 'get the budget under control'..... So far Bobby Boy's great idea for 'saving' state money is to put a hiring freeze on what? 250 more DHH 'state workers'/taxpayer supported ornaments on the taxpayers back? That isn't money that was saved, it is simply money that is not going to be spent...... Smoke and mirrors is all it is...... What did he really do? Well, soon the indigent will have to go without prescription medications.... Did he say state workers were going to have to do without prescription medicine? No.... Did he say that state workers were going to have a REDUCTION in numbers? No...... Did he say state workers were going to have a reduction in pay or paid vacation time? No...... Did he say he was going to quit flying around on the taxpayer's dime campaigning or Image Enhancing? No........ Did he say there would be a reduction in vehicles purchased for state use? No....... Did Bobby Boy say that State Workers can't drive state vehicles home after work? No.... And the list goes on and on........ Written by
on 1/9/2009
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Jindal is smart enough to know that government cannot spend, borrow or bailout to bring about a growing economy. The problem with Louisiana is unrrelated to oil prices - or, to put it another way - the state's economic outcome shoud not be based on oil prices, tourism or the ability of our elected officials to get tax dollars taken from other states' citizens. Written by kpf
on 1/8/2009
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~:> WHOOPS!!!!! THERE IT GOES AGAIN!!!!! - - - - OIL PRICES DOWN ON GLOBAL ECONOMIC CONCERNS…… 1 hr 42 mins ago - - - - NEW YORK (AFP) – Oil prices fell Thursday amid concerns over a US stockpile buildup and worries that the global economic slump will further dampen demand….. The benchmark contract, light sweet crude for February delivery, fell 93 cents to close at 41.70 dollars on the New York Mercantile Exchange…… In London, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in February dropped 1.19 dollars to 44.67 dollars a barrel on the InterContinental Exchange. Written by
on 1/8/2009
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Now if this comes to pass, no tax cuts that is on the Federal level, and the price of oil is dropping, and the only incentive that Bobby has to lure business to Louisiana is 'tax breaks' a'la some kind of retarded LED program, who is going to get stuck paying the taxes? Well, it will be the poor people that have jobs that have to spend money to train more people to fill more jobs we are trying to attract when we already have 80,000 supposedly unfilled jobs here in Louisiana..... And of course the price of goods are going up, while the cost of business is going up..... And of course we are going to spend multiple millions on roads that aren't needed in an effort to get 'cross country' traffic to dip down from Interstate 20 to catch I-10 so that truck stops can make more money selling fuel, or video poker time... And of course, the Feds, getting less tax dollars because of less income being generated and having a bigger deficit will have less funding to send out to 'give-away' programs... So where is the measurable growth going to come from? Written by
on 1/8/2009
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O.K. Folks, it looks like the pissing match has officially began, some 12 days before Obama takes office, and it involves his own disciples. - - - - - - - - -- DEMOCRATS CRITICIZE OBAMA’S PROPOSED TAX CUTS……. By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer – 17 mins ago - - - WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama's proposed tax cuts ran into opposition Thursday from senators in his own party who said they wouldn't do much to stimulate the economy or create jobs. Senators from both parties agreed that Congress should do something to stimulate the economy. But Democratic senators emerging from a private meeting of the Senate Finance Committee criticized business and individual tax cuts in Obama's stimulus plan…… They were especially critical of a proposed $3,000 tax credit for companies that hire or retrain workers. Written by
on 1/8/2009
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~:> PETROLEUM ($/bbl) Nymex Crude Future $42.41/down - $.22 @ 15:54 E.S.T. Dated Brent Spot $44.63/down - $1.12 @ 16:20 E.S.T. WTI Cushing Spot $41.73/down -$2.18 @ 16:18 E.S.T. I would suppose that with prices such as these, the subject of political contributions starts to become sort of moot though..... Hey Bobby, wait till it hits $28.00. Going to be sort of hard to justify all that traveling around the United States then now won't it? Written by
on 1/8/2009
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That sounds like an excellent idea...... Written by
on 1/8/2009
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Any strengthening of the ethics laws was offset by making it tougher to prove an ethics violation by raising the burden of proof to clear and convincing proof from the prior preponderance of the evidence standard. If you want real ethics reform, you will have to ban corporate political contributions. Written by David Quidd
on 1/8/2009
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Prosecutors: Madoff was ready to send out $173M - - - - By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer – 16 mins ago * * * * NEW YORK – Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators found 100 signed checks worth $173 million in Bernard Madoff's office desk that he was ready to send out to his closest family and friends at the time of his arrest last month…………………. - - - - - - This Madoff guy would have made a great CWPPRA board member or an even better LCRA chair person…… Written by
on 1/8/2009
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Of course on the bright side {if there is such a thing in never-never-land} Obama is now carefully telling us that "The recession could last for years".... Well, in a few months, we will find that he is able to tell the whole story: "DEPRESSION". These are going to be some very trying times we are about to experience... The landscape is like waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy different than it was in the 60's..... It is time for citizens to band together, figure out what is good and proper, and work towards making them a reality...... Bobby Boy up in his Ivory Tower needs to realize that backing the satus quo is not going to be in his best interests.... Notice I wrote 'His' best interests instead of "The citizens" best interests.... Why? Well, because he is self centered, and that is the only point of view he is capable of considering and acting upon.... He had best start looking towards the resources that the common citizenry of Louisiana are glad to, and willing to provide.... That is democracy..... Fail to evolve, prepare to disolve.......... We are right now skating on the thin ice about life... Written by
on 1/8/2009
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PETROLEUM ($/bbl) Nymex Crude Future $42.66/down - $5.92 @ 17:08 E.S.T.
Dated Brent Spot $45.75/down - $3.54 @ 17:31 E.S.T. WTI Cushing Spot $42.63/down -$5.95 @ 16:16 E.S.T.
Written by
on 1/7/2009
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Perhaps the future is here....... Bulletin Number 09-005 ***** Effective 01/08/09 7:00 a.m. Ergon Oil will pay the listed price per barrel of oil delivered; South Louisiana $37.75 - Ohio All Fields $37.00 - Arkansas Sweet $38.25 - West Mississippi $37.75 - Pennsylvania Western $37.00 - Arkansas Sour $32.25 - East Mississippi $29.25 - New York Western $37.00 - Arkansas Ex. Heavy $28.80- Alabama Sour $29.25 - West Virginia Northern $36.25 - North Louisiana Sweet $37.75 - Citronelle $36.50 - West Virginia Central $35.50 - East Texas Sweet $38.00 - AL/FL Panhandle $36.50 - West Virginia Southern $35.25 - WTI $39.00 - North Louisiana $37.75 - New York & Penn Bradford Field $37.00 - East Texas $38.00 - - - - - - So, we see lows of $28.80 and highs of what? $38.25????? Yeah Bobby, you better not only lay off the 'Rainy Day' fund for this season, but you are going to have to figure out how to put it off for perhaps 2 or 3 more years... Batter's up dude, now we are going to see what you are really made of oh omnipitent one..... Written by
on 1/7/2009
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As long as billions upon billions in Federal aid keeps being funneled into the State, it will continue.... When it stops, and there will be an end pretty soon, the obvious will be the fact...... So babble on Bobby, babble on............... Written by
on 1/7/2009
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