[StBernard] Open For Business

[Westley Annis]

This week we met with folks in Alexandria and Lake Charles to talk about our
education reform plan, and why it's critical for us to empower parents,
teachers, and local school leaders so that all of our children have the
opportunity to get a great education.  As I told the Alexandria Town Talk
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c9993%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=HSgq34OTRCxtHnoxqBMRBw&sysid=1> , meaningful education reforms that
prepare all our kids for success in the classroom and in the workforce are
my top priority.  

Headed into the legislative session this coming week, support is already
growing for our education reforms.  As NBC33
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c9994%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=o37YmGOLIJ2TxwC0W9CQbw&sysid=1>  reported, more than 100 local
elected officials came out this week in support of our education reforms.
I'm proud to have the backing of these local elected officials, who
understand that providing our kids a great education is critical to
sustaining economic growth, improving our quality of life, and giving every
Louisiana child the opportunities they deserve.

 
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c9905%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=XOMrQg2nWrGRse%2f8F%2bZ4Ig&sysid=1> Also this week, the Monroe
News-Star
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c9906%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=Wt%2b7A95ZViIuYbnlm39HAg&sysid=1>  featured on its front page a story
on the Tax Foundation report that pegged Louisiana "the second most
competitive state in keeping tax costs low for new businesses, and tenth
most competitive for companies that have been here for much longer."
Rankings like these are not only important to signify the important progress
we've made to encourage economic growth, but also because they send a
message to companies across the country and around the world that there is
no better place to grow or expand a business than Louisiana.

It's news like this, in addition to the important reforms we've made to
encourage more business investment, that lead to announcements like the two
we made this week. K&B Machine is making a $40 million capital investment to
create a new manufacturing and headquarters facility in Terrebonne Parish.
As the Thibodaux Daily Comet
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c9907%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=6eqMv7xZEishixIMaH0iWg&sysid=1>  reported, K&B will retain and add
more than 200 jobs and the project itself will create 80 construction jobs
to build a new oil filed pipe fabrication facility

We also marked the completion today of a $100 million expansion at Procter &
Gamble's plant in Pineville that has created 105 new jobs and retained 400
jobs.  

The bottom line is that K&B and Procter & Gamble could have chosen another
state to expand their businesses, but thanks to Louisiana's strong business
climate and our incredible workforce, we are attracting new investment
everyday that is giving Louisiana a brighter future. 

Sincerely,

Governor Bobby Jindal