[StBernard] Legislature Supports Task Force to Study State PlanningOffice

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Thu Jun 21 22:39:32 EDT 2007


Don't hold you breath anything that comes from this plan will ever see
reality. Because if any aspect of the plan is later discovered to hinder
the plans of a developer from making money (especially if he's a friend of
major politician), you can bet exceptions or "revisions" will be made to the
plan to accommodate the developer.

If I'm wrong, all you have to do is look at what used to be known as St.
Tammany's "2025 Plan." The parish got a grant (taxpayer dollars) in the
1990's to hire a consultant (at hundreds of thousands of dollars) to "map
out the future of the parish" to make certain the parish grew and developed
the "right way" in accordance with concerns of population growth,
infrastructure and environmental concerns. Countless "feel good" public
hearings were held and the plan was put together over a period of several
years.

Needless to say, the plan has pretty gone went out the window. In fact,
it's been some years since I've even heard someone utter the 2025 Plan.
Several contractors and developers have built or are trying to build
developments which are in contradiction to the plan. But hey, money talks -
especially when it's coming from (developer) friends of high ranking parish
officials. How do I know this? I was there...I was St. Tammany's Director
of Public Works at the time.

So, as the blind man said "we'll see." We'll see if any of this Louisiana
Speaks Regional Plan ever "really" sees the light of day. But like I said,
don't hold your breath - especially when new players enter the political
game and patronage calls its marker.

Folks, trust me, I'm not trying to be a pessimist - it's just that I've
witnessed this first hand and I know how the unfortunate reality of politics
can change the best of intentions.

- John Scurich




-----Original Message-----
Louisiana Legislature Supports Task Force to Study Comprehensive Office of
State Planning

BATON ROUGE, La. (June 20, 2007) - Today, Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA)
and Louisiana Speaks officials thanked members of the Louisiana Legislature
for passing House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 229, a measure introduced by
Representative Cheryl Gray in the House and sponsored by President Donald
Hines in the Senate, which supports the establishment of a task force that
will study and make recommendations for implementation of a comprehensive
Office of State Planning. HCR 229 unanimously passed the House of
Representatives on Monday, and cleared the Senate late yesterday afternoon.

"Today we thank the Legislature for acting so quickly to implement one of
the key recommendations from the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan," said Donna
Fraiche, Chair of the LRA's Long Term Planning Task Force. "Once
established, this task force will work with citizens, local governments and
state agencies to integrate planning for hurricane protection, land use,
transportation, health care, education and economic development."

After 18 months of working with world-renowned planners, local experts and
tens of thousands of Louisiana citizens, the LRA unveiled the Louisiana
Speaks Regional Plan in May 2007. The plan, which serves as a roadmap for
development over the next 50 years, proposes steps that will help Louisiana
recover sustaibaly, grow smarter, and think regionally.

One of more than 100 action items included in the plan calls for the
creation of a coordinating and capacity-building entity at the state level
which would provide a framework in which state, regional, and local
governing bodies can coordinate to implement Louisiana's strategic vision
for the future.

Consistent with this recommendation, HCR 229 calls on the governor to
establish a task force which includes representatives from the Governor's
Office, the Division of Administration, the LRA, the Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority, the Police Jury Association, the Louisiana Municipal
Association, the Louisiana Association of Planning and Development
Districts, the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association the
Center for Planning Excellence, and Louisiana Speaks.

The resolution also requests that the governor convene the task force for
its first meeting prior to August 30, 2007.

Click here to view complete resolution.
http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=442244
<http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=442244> )

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