[StBernard] Legislature gains barely passing grade

[Westley Annis]

by Opinion 
07/03/2006 	
 	
A+ $7.5-billion Road Home aid 
 
The Legislature OK'd Blanco's $7.5-billion housing aid program for homes
severely damaged or destroyed by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. If homeowners
receive money by August, lawmakers gain extra credit. 
  
A+ Consolidation 
  
Gov. Blanco successfully pushed to consolidate New Orleans court systems,
sheriffs' offices, assessors and court clerks' offices. There was no reason
other than patronage to retain these duplicative and duplicitous offices.
Voters can approve it Nov. 7. 
  
A+ Protecting TOPS 
  
Legislators tried to amend this incredibly successful program but failed.
Whew. 
  
B Right to bear arms 
  
The Constitution already gives every law-abiding citizen that right but it
needed affirmation here post-Katrina. Not our proudest moment. 
  
B- Teacher pay increase 
  
Spending $105 million on public school teacher pay raises was an excellent
way to polish the old apple. But the raise is slight when considering the
size of the overall budget. 
  
C Environment 
  
The Senate approved an environmental cleanup plan to give the state
Department of Natural Resources the power to determine how much money oil
and gas companies must pay when sued by property owners over environmental
damage. These so-called "legacy lawsuits" have hampered business operations
but the fear is the environment will remain polluted now. 
  
C The $26.7-billion budget 
  
Legislators overspent on pork and failed to plan for a future of shriveled
revenues. 
  
D Abortions 
  
The Legislature approved a ban on abortions in all cases except to save the
life of the mother. Our lawmakers are not qualified to legislate medical
decisions. This is unnecessary pandering to conservative interests. 
  
F Cockfighting 
  
The House and Senate keep sending bills to ban cockfighting in Louisiana to
ag committees that kill the bills. Cockfighting is no longer quaint (if it
ever was) and most Louisianians abhor it. 
  
F Alternative fuels 
  
A bill to require some gasoline sales in the state to include ethanol and
biodiesel was approved. Since it costs more energy to produce ethanol than
is saved by it, this false savings needlessly clogs refineries required to
make the designer fuels. This agricultural subsidy is an expensive waste of
time poor Louisianians did not deserve. 
  
F Public records 
  
Bills to make governor's office records available to the public, as are
records of other state agencies, were rejected by Gov. Blanco. You can't
espouse government transparency and then kill this bill without flunking the
course. 
  
I Health care reform 
  
No work was done on this. 
  
I Ethics 
  
This continues to be a missing component for most of our legislators. Grabs
for free tickets and free health care make these guys real freeloaders..