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Reducing early voting days considered
Legislative panels overseeing state elections on Thursday rejected the idea of reducing the days of early voting at special satellite locations in Baton Rouge and Sulphur.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers signed off on a fifth satellite early voting location —this one in Orleans Parish.Secretary of State Jay Dardenne said the Orleans site at a voting machine warehouse would be operational in time for the spring 2010 New Orleans mayor’s race.The satellite locations are designed to bring early voting closer to where people live. They are in addition to regular early voting locations at parish registrar of voters offices, where people can go vote in advance of elections.The state House and Senate Governmental Affairs Committees quickly agreed to the addition of the Orleans satellite. It joins other remote locations at the State Archives in Baton Rouge, city hall in Sulphur, a vocational-technical school in Bogalusa and a state-run museum in Monroe.The panel balked at Dardenne’s suggestion that early voting at satellite locations in Baton Rouge and Sulphur be scaled back from seven to four days in projected low-turnout elections. The seven days would have been retained for all congressional, governor’s and presidential elections under the proposal.The reduced days already exist in Monroe and Bogalusa.Dardenne said he was not particularly enthused about the idea but offered it in response to requests to come up with cost-cutting ideas.“The aim of the game is to reduce some expenses,” Dardenne said.Elections estimated a potential $10,000 to $15,000 savings in some years.House committee chairman Rep. Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, said the savings — in a $30 billion state budget — may not be worth potential confusion of voters who are accustomed to having the satellite locations being open the entire week of early voting.Dardenne said that was the debate that went on in his office.“It would fly in the face of the consistency we are trying to create at those early voting sites,” Dardenne said.On the other hand, Dardenne said, “It’s hard to justify people sitting there all day and nobody shows up” in low-turnout special or tax proposition elections.The panel decided consistency was more important than the limited savings.Posted in: Politics
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Vitter's census idea refused by Senate
The U.S. Senate voted Thursday afternoon to block an amendment by Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter that would have required that next year’s census to identify non-citizens in their nationwide count. Read more…Posted in: Politics
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Jindal backs money on LSU complex
Artist rendering of the LSU Business Education Complex/Provided by LSU
The bid process to build the LSU Business Education Complex could begin next week with a possible groundbreaking ceremony in March. The $60 million complex could occur in summer 2012.
Gov. Bobby Jindal on Wednesday reaffirmed commitment of $30 million in state funds for construction of LSU’s planned Business Education Complex. Jindal said his intent is to direct $24 million in state construction dollars initially, which the Legislature must sign off on, and then give the final $6 million to LSU in 2011 to complete the project. Read more…Posted in: Politics, Gov. Jindal, LSU, Southern and BRCC
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Tax amnesty brings in more than expected
Patrick Dennis/The Advocate
Gov. Bobby Jindal discusses on Wednesday at the State Capitol the collections for the 2009 Louisiana Tax Amnesty Program and he comments on the state’s reaffirmation to give $30 million toward LSU’s planned Business Education Complex while LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business Dean Eli Jones, left, and Phelps Dunbar law firm partner Richard Matheny, right, look on.
A tax amnesty program generated twice as much money as state officials expected. Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Wednesday morning that delinquent taxpayers paid $303.7 million. The program was expected to result in $150 million in collections. The $150 million is to go to repay funds that helped government balance its annual budget that began July 1. Jindal said he wants to use part of the unexpected money for health care, which is facing a massive budget shortfall. Read more… -
State government pay plan vote delayed
Arthur D. Lauck/The Advocate
State Civil Service Commission members James Smith, left, and Lee Griffin confer Wednesday at the conclusion of a public hearing concerning new classified state employee rules covering pay raises. The commission postponed action on the proposal until December.
The Civil Service Commission delayed action Wednesday morning on a proposal that would end 4 percent annual pay raises for nearly 61,000 classified state government employees. Commission Chairman James Smith and other commissioners said they wanted to give state employees more of an opportunity to comment on the changes “drastically” effect their pay. The seven-member panel, which sets policy for state government workers, decided to set a Dec. 8th public hearing at night, when most employees are not working. Smith said commissioners would likely vote on the proposal on Dec. 9. Read more…Posted in: Politics, Budget, State Employees
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Confrontation not political, woman claims
A Baton Rouge rape survivor whose videotaped confrontation with U.S. Sen. David Vitter is circulating around the Internet said Tuesday that the incident was not politically motivated. The incident is posted on YouTube and has had more than 100,000 viewers as of Tuesday evening. The YouTube video is available http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6YZ1wP1978 Read more…Posted in: Politics, Campaigns, U.S. Congress
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Use of one-time money for Medicaid deficit
Louisiana’s health chief proposed Tuesday using one-time money to fill some three-fourths of a $308 million projected shortfall in the state’s $6.5 billion Medicaid program.
State Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine called the plan he outlined to legislative money committees “a balanced approach” that will for now shield private health care providers from more cuts.The use of one-time money for recurring expenditures has been opposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal and some legislative leaders.Increases in projected spending in Medicaid — the government health insurance program for the poor — is occurring in payments to private hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacy, laboratory and x-ray services, according to DHH data.The $231 million in one-time money that includes some federal stimulus dollars, a financial settlement as well as tapping proceeds in a special account will help bridge the gap, said Levine.The Joint Legislative Budget Committee must approve many of the elements in the Medicaid budget-balancing proposal.Budget committee co-chairman Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, said the DHH projections of a budget shortfall could be over-inflated because they are based on one-quarter worth of data.“These are projections,” said Fannin, recalling how DHH last year proposed cuts based on similar data only to determine a short time later that the numbers didn’t hold up.Levine said it is the best estimate DHH can provide today.Because of uncertainties, Levine said he is suggesting use of one-time money instead of cuts in payments to health care providers which would have to be rescinded if conditions improve.Posted in: Politics
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Legislative auditor announces retirement
Mark Saltz/The Advocate
Steve Theriot, Legislative Auditor during a May 2007 discussion, announced his retirement Tuesday morning.
Legislative Auditor Steve Theriot announced Tuesday that he is retiring in less than three weeks.
“It’s never an easy thing … I’m not getting any younger,” he said.
Theriot, 63, will work until Nov. 20. He said his immediate plans are to take his granddaughters to Walt Disney World in December.
Theriot’s first assistant, Daryl Purpera, will fill in until the Legislature picks a permanent replacement.
Purpera has been with the Legislative Auditor’s Office since 1985.
The auditor is an employee of the Legislature who checks the financial books and job performance of government agencies in Louisiana.
Before becoming legislative auditor in 2004, Theriot was a legislator and a Jefferson Parish School Board member.
He replaced Dan Kyle as legislative auditor after Kyle resigned to run for governor.
Kyle turned the Legislative Auditor’s Office into a public watchdog that ferreted out public corruption.
The kickbacks case against former Elections Commissioner Jerry Fowler began as an investigation by the Legislative Auditor’s Office. Kyle also took a close look at former Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom.
Theriot wasn’t as high profile as Kyle. But he did battle in court with Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon over access to records in Donelon’s office.
Theriot said he has been contemplating retirement for awhile. He said he wants to spend more time at his home in Marrero.
His replacement must be a licensed certified public accountant. A special commission will compile a list of possible replacements. The majority of the Legislature must agree on Theriot’s successor.Posted in: Politics
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Kennedy wants to tackle NGOs
Patrick Dennis/The Advocate
Council for A Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin, right, and State Treasurer John Kennedy during a meeting Tuesday of the Commission on Streamlining Government in which funding for non-governmental organizations was discussed.
State Treasurer John Kennedy pushed Tuesday morning to purge legislators’ special projects from the state budget. But other members of the Commission on Streamlining Government balked at the idea of cutting off funding for what are referred to in state government as nongovernmental organizations — or NGOs. Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis said eliminating NGOs would affect water systems, battered women shelters, councils on aging and volunteer fire departments. Read more… -
Medicaid shortfall is about $308 million
The state health agency is projecting a $308 million shortfall in Medicaid funding, the government health insurance program for the poor, state Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine said Monday. Levine goes before the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget Tuesday to outline the problem and how health officials propose to bring the current fiscal year spending back in line. Read more…Posted in: Politics, Healthcare
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