Well, I guess complaining works because Mayor Ray Nagin has finally snagged some good Super Bowl tickets. Last week, he was on the radio lamenting his “nose bleed” tickets to the game. This week, he was singing a different tune after the Saints came to his rescue with nice tickets.
So, Nagin will be at the game representing the City of New Orleans, what a joy! Hopefully, he will refrain from any embarrassing comments or careless insults. Being such a world traveler, it is understandable that Nagin wanted to be at the game, but the real party will happen in New Orleans. Nagin could have stayed in New Orleans with all of the locals and tourists who will be celebrating right here.
But, Nagin can’t pass an opportunity to build up more frequent flyer miles, especially if the poor suffering taxpayers of New Orleans have to pay the tab. That’s right; Nagin is charging the taxpayers for the Super Bowl tickets and billing this adventure as a “business trip.” Despite the city’s huge budget deficit which forced cutbacks all over city government, Nagin will travel to the game in style, along with an unspecified security contingent.
The Mayor was not specific about what business other than attending the game he will be conducting. This is the same man who considers dinner with his wife at an expensive restaurant legitimate city business. To say he has a broad definition of the word “business,” it an understatement. In fact, he is really giving all of the taxpayers the “business.”
Nagin has ventured on many other business or “economic development” junkets, all yielding no results for the citizens of New Orleans. This excursion will be no different. On each trip, Nagin enjoys a vacation, top class travel arrangements and is treated like a rock star. The best part is that he never has to pay the bill. Nagin always can count on some city vendor or the taxpayers to take care of the bills.
It must be nice being Mayor of New Orleans. He has to do nothing of substance, but gets to travel the world, make ridiculous comments, neglects the media, ignores his constituents and real responsibilities and never has to pay for anything.
Can’t wait to see what other exotic vacations the Mayor will plan for the rest of his term. I’m sure the taxpayers can’t wait to pay the bills either.
Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and a Columnist for selected publications. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
- - - "Can’t wait to see what other exotic vacations the Mayor will plan for the rest of his term. I’m sure the taxpayers can’t wait to pay the bills either." - - - ???? Which taxpayers are you talking of Jeffy? State or Federal? I'm pretty sure there was more than enough Katrian floatsam money left over after the big Stupor Dome rebuild to fund this..... Hell, maybe even a little of the 400 something million New Orleans just got to placate someones' visions of 'grandeur' can cover it. It seems to me that New Orleans probably shouldn't complain, The money New Orleans got from taxpayers around the nation is probably making money as it sits in the bank.... Glad he got better tickets though, for a second there I was worried about having to sit next to him up in the 'nosebleed' seats. Oh, and I didn't pay for my ticket either..... Geaux! Geuax! Geaux!
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on 2/4/2010
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