Economy

From the Times-Picayune: Landrieu doubles Vitter in the Senate while Jindal outpaces Reps.

As reported by the box last month, Governor Bobby Jindal put $14 million in state dollars behind Hornets co-owner Gary Chouest’s planned expansion of the shipyard at the Port of Terrebonne, leaving many legislators scratching their heads and crying foul over the anemic support for the Napoleon Avenue Terminal.

Now courtesy of the Advocate, the rationale for such treatment is becoming clear as we learn what $135,250 in campaign contributions will buy you from the Jindal administration. 

From the Shreveport Times: Coming in among the 18 states making the first cut in landing the the US Air Force Command, Bossier City, which invested $107 million in a civilian cyber tech center, gets the jump over other states as the Pentagon advises against making investments to lure the high tech center.  

A number of Jefferson and St. Tammany Parish officials were aghast last week over supposedly “secret negotiations” to sell the Causeway Bridge that goes to the North Shore across Lake Pontchartrain. When the state’s largest paper, the Times Picayune, mixed the idea editorially, one elected official after the other fell all over themselves running away from even any talk of such an atrocity. Read more

A RICO suit in US Federal Court against Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation leaves the door open for further defendants. In addition to board members and executives the complaint lists unidentified parties for further inclusion. More from the Associated Press.

From the Times-Picayune: Former Governor under fire for mulit-million payments to Road Home contractor while legal aid services for low income residents were spurned.

While Governor Jindal maintains his perogative to give out free tickets to lawmakers, the even bigger question is whether he will maintain a similar grip over the patronage of road and construction dollars or will he go along with those who would rather see merit trump politics? From the Natchez Democrat.

From the Advocate: State Senator and President of Pelican Gas Management, Robert Adley is on the hot seat as local municipalities demand new bids for big dollar gas contract. Wasn’t there just a special session about this stuff?

One of the biggest challenges facing Louisiana’s newly elected Governor Bobby Jindal is the challenge of re-instilling pride in the attitudes of many Louisianians. Government can only do so much. But a governor can be a catalyst in raising the public’s expectations.

Read more

Taking on the notion that Louisiana representatives should not fight for money for the state, Republican Congressman Rodney Alexander pledges to continue to fight for critical projects for the state’s taxpayers. From the Monroe News-Star.