[StBernard] Growing our Economy

[Westley Annis]

July 29, 2009 


Growing our Economy


We continue to welcome announcements of new jobs in our state even during
these tough economic times, as evidenced by JP Morgan Chase's announcement
last week that they are, as reported by the Monroe News-Star
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=T06XIBqp5%2b7mIuaJ3tff8
47e5WXuXjUery9szZJJQ9M%3d&digest=2QHOIxtVpJ9XMHY7Clg%2fnA> , "adding 250
jobs at the company's mortgage records center in the Monroe Air Industrial
Park." I also traveled to Shreveport for the opening of the Chesapeake
Energy Corporation's new Haynesville Shale Corporate Office. As the
Alexandria Town Talk
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=fxg5WRfTSAtuDkgPSOZiG23
8R8YY4oPQgWPE6%2b%2bZlRQ%3d&digest=Qa5qEKn49Tu2FvYi3GHtsQ>  wrote, that we
have been able to continue bringing new opportunities to our state shows the
"effectiveness of smart policies and aggressive initiatives -- all aimed at
increasing competitiveness; helping to grow existing businesses; using
effective incentives to recruit new ones; and developing regional assets."

Th e Haynesville Shale provides significant long-term opportunities for our
state, as evidenced by a recent study showing that the shale brought our
state 32,000 jobs and $2.4 billion in business sales in 2008. Chesapeake
Energy is a major driver in the shale area, and their new office in
Shreveport shows a commitment to Louisiana for years to come. Read More >
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=RMjLBzXj5O2SPKHkoIceHpO
NVKlj3HNArCEuJx5wnh8%3d&digest=zu1pGdu4nQdqJoWKcaDexw> 



Ensuring an Efficient Government 


This week brings the first meeting of the Commission on Streamlining
Government, which is a critical component of our efforts to ensure that
state government is living within its means. The Commission will offer
concrete solutio ns to reducing both the cost and the size of our state
government, and, as the written by the Alexandria Town Talk
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=u2aLcXUpEoTBVl5nrKjSsvw
Bzg2ssO7bNFKKsTp%2bQGw%3d&digest=Hikv7cG9Fcmid6rsXt3%2fwQ> , "deserves the
complete support of all Louisiana residents." 

Also, last week I signed an executive order that establishes a limited
hiring freeze for state government. In the face of the budget challenges
that our state will contend with in the coming years, this is a good step to
help control state spending and gives us ideas as to how best to shrink the
size of state government.
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=R357P5zOiknpgY9ZjM3vddr
lxLdiIgdcTEj7NlQf4ZE%3d&digest=VCcN%2bPr2gBoLJLcZPQXkuA> Read More >
<http://click.bsftransmi
t1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=URY2691ddAdB6CPHboNAwgHMjB3tGtRaxxkRmLSQPfQ%3d&
digest=ELfZxLal5bxszKim3RMADQ> 



Protecting our Kids 


Since taking office, we have passed multiple new laws that crack down on sex
offenders and make life safer for our kids. These efforts are paying off in
a big way, with more offenders registering and local and state databases
able to shar e information more effectively. 

As the New Orleans Times-Picayune
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=o8wlFrm2s15qtO30mPH4oRm
WMKSETnrOvCitCTuoqkA%3d&digest=psk4pY2qrUw9Eu2wduGEag>  said, "Louisiana is
doing a far better job of keeping track of sex offenders.and that's a boon
for public safety." The paper also reported that since we launched the
Offender Watch database last August, the number of unregistered sex
offenders in the state has been reduced by more than 2,300, and the state
registry has added 2,500 offenders.
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=9b22d5HEOU92tu0UYbelhkT
%2fwBMBX5KE60bNESjgmfA%3d&digest=99RlgPN%2ftXUJh0mMwNP%2fUA> Read More >
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=%2f6qU%2fA3aKDYHFvyErgV
TZV2%2fRjDTywlriHrDdbyfQco%3d&digest=%2fAVO3DDW%2fUpi1c%2fBBP4yLA> 



Fixing a Federal Mistake

I held a press conference in New Orleans last week to call attention to the
federal government's faulty calculation of income sources in our state,
which will lead to a dramatic decrease in Louisiana's Federal Medical
Assistance Percentage (FMAP).  By including recovery dol lars in our state's
per-capita income following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the federal
government will decrease our Medicaid match approximately 9 percent, or $700
million a year.

Fixing this miscalculation has become even more pressing with the national
economic downturn our nation is facing. And Louisiana has already suffered
enough, with four major hurricanes affecting the state in the past four
years, and for the federal government to count sources such as insurance
payouts and Road Home grants as personal income serves only to victimize our
people one more time.
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=EwdsQ9IQvwtbjm9wL%2bbVo
KZoM%2bzKTBti5CL9fvLJPLo%3 d&digest=0HhDjP%2fbH6bkcHg6DowtPg> Read More >
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=G0nOIUflSLRGlChdCyz8Y9Y
bVMCPi3CC9CTf5Osqsno%3d&digest=BlMcygzSJ0sCFOpkxBsvlQ> 


Traveling the State 


In the past week I traveled to Napoleanville, St. Amant, Lafayette, Livonia,
and Oakdale as part of the Louisiana Working Tour. Residen ts should not
have to travel to Baton Rouge to see their governor, and I am enjoying
visiting the cities and towns that make our state one of the most unique
places in the world. 

Spreading the word of our economic achievements is also important, and, as I
said in the Lafayette Daily Advertiser
<http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=9qpwQaHCQ%2bTCtsb4zal9j
bOgmg7odXStJxRYnu%2fu7WU%3d&digest=EOIDZ%2bFj7c3m7cXk9%2bX2IQ> , "the next
step will be attracting residents from other states to come to Louisiana for
work."  I look forward to continuing the Louisiana Working Tour in the
coming weeks as we continue to let the nation and the world know that
Louisiana is moving forward.

Sincerely,


 Governor Bobby Jindal