[StBernard] Pinsonat Blasts 'Chamber of Government', LSU Board, 'Scam-D' and Pennington

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Thu Oct 21 22:51:39 EDT 2010


Pinsonat Blasts 'Chamber of Government', LSU Board, 'Scam-D' and Pennington
by Bernie Pinsonat (Pollster- SMOR)

In the Baton Rouge Advocate's Tuesday edition, LSU Systems Office (System
President John Lombardi) proposes cuts to LSU's main campus in Baton Rouge.
The main campus of LSU would see budget cuts increase from $2.26 million to
$5.14 million. Michael Martin, chancellor of the flag ship LSU campus,
questions the legality of this funding cut. Chancellor Martin is correct to
oppose cuts to his campus to avoid cuts to Pennington Biomedical Research
Center. However, amnesia should be blamed on these proposed cuts to LSU's
main campus! The LSU Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Legislature (our
Baton Rouge area legislators seem clueless) forgot what LSU officials
promised us when Pennington was open with lots of celebration and fanfare.

We were sold this bill of goods at the grand opening: Pennington is going to
be self sufficient and not need state tax dollars. WRONG - Pennington is now
bleeding away our tax dollars for it day to day operations! This is nothing
new for the LSU Systems Office - anyone remember CAM-D - another project LSU
claimed would revolutionize Baton Rouge's economy. I immediately renamed
CAM-D to SCAM-D! The Baton Rouge Chamber of Government was furious at my
insinuation. The chamber got it wrong as usual. FACT - Taxpayers paid twenty
five million dollars just for the land SCAM-D is located on. SCAM-D never
produced anything of any consequence for Baton Rouge's economy! SCAM-D is
still bleeding us tax payers and should be closed.

Didn't Governor Jindal give Pennington twenty five million tax payer dollars
to Pennington Biomedical Research two years ago? Twenty five million dollars
for Pennington was pushed by Stephen Moret, Governor Jindal's Secretary of
Economic Development. No surprise here as Moret was head of the Baton Rouge
Chamber of Government and a big supporter of Pennington. Gee, I wonder if
Moret mentioned to Jindal the promise to us tax payers - a self sufficient
research facility! Pennington supporters and LSU officials ask for seed
money from state government to open Pennington and federal government grants
would pay for its day to day operations! Lots of luck on that promise as
federal government deficit spending is now very unpopular with most voters.
Any professor or employee at LSU's main campus remembers Pennington's
promises - now Lombardi wants to cut their salary or their job for
Pennington? Why are Louisiana tax payers funding these two spending holes
while we fire professors at LSU!

Jindal is currently hitting a home run with us tax payers as he criticizes
higher education officials in Louisiana for the lack of results! Maybe the
LSU Board of Supervisors should pay attention to Governor Jindal demanding
results for our tax dollars! Why is LSU running a charity hospital system?
Why is LSU involved in Scam-D and Pennington Biomedical Research? The Board
of Supervisor should protect LSU's main campus from Lombardi - those
students are Louisiana's future. They (LSU Board of Supervisors) should hire
someone to make Pennington self sufficient - keep your promise and stay out
of Louisiana's tax payer pockets!



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