BATON
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014
Budget Study Reveals Baton Rouge Pays Zero Toward Running Offices BATON ROUGE La — Leaders of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber announced this week that they will be raising a large sum of money to buy advertising to convince voters in the proposed City of St. George to vote against incorporation. The thrust of their argument is that people in the southeast part of East Baton Rouge have been bleeding the parish dry and now want to “break away” for their own selfish reasons instead of working to solve the problems. But a study of the CityParish budget by a budget analyst for the proposed City of St. George discovered an astounding fact that Sen. Bodi White revealed at the Baton Rouge Press Club Monday. White said that as sales taxes are collected throughout the parish, they are placed in funds. Sales taxes collected in Baton Rouge are placed n the Baton Rouge Fund. Sales taxes collected in Baker go into the Baker Fund. Sales taxes collected in Zachary go into the Zachary Fund. Sales taxes collected in Central go into the Central Fund. And sales taxes collected in the unincorporated parts of the parish are deposited into the Unincorporated Fund. The money in the Baton Rouge Fund is used by Baton Rouge, and so on. But here’s where it gets “astounding.” The cost of running Constitutional offices in the parish is $17.7 million. This is for the 19th Judicial District, Family Court, Juvenile Court, District Attorney, Registrar of Voters and Coroner. Then there is another $8.5 million that is used to fund the Parish Prison, Juvenile Services, Animal Control, and so on. Guess where the money comes from? All $26.2 million comes from the Unincorporated Fund! The citizens of the unincorporated areas of the parish pay 100 percent of these expenses! Not one penny in sales taxes collected in Baton Rouge, Baker, Central or Zachary helps pay these expenses! The next step is the kicker. After this $26.2 million is taken out of the Unincorporated Fund, there remains about $52 million. All of this money is then transferred to the City of Baton Rouge! The amount actually being spent in the unincorporated areas is relatively small. Proponents of the City of St. George this week released a proposed budget for the new city. Ironically, they propose continuing to pay 100 per cent of these parishwide expenses from the budget of St. George. The reason? They will still be able to run a $20 million a year surplus.
ROUGE,
LOUISIANA
VOL. 38 • NO. 21 • FREE
A PEOPLE’S PUBLICATION
Obama Administration Takes Additional Steps to Jindal Plans Asia Economic Strengthen Federal Background Check System Development Trip Continuing efforts to keep guns out of potentially dangerous hands
Bobby Jindal
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive to light 26 candles honoring the 26 students and teachers killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., at the White House in Washington, December 14, 2013.
WASHINGTON—As part of President Obama’s continuing efforts to reduce gun violence, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to remove unnecessary legal barriers under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) Privacy Rule that may prevent states from reporting certain information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The NICS helps to ensure that guns are not sold to those prohibited by law from having them, including felons, those convicted of domestic
violence, and individuals involuntarily committed to a mental institution. To date, background checks have prevented over two million guns from falling into the wrong hands. However, the background See OBAMA, on page 3
Zoo Hosting Baker City Appreciation Day
BATON ROUGE — Gov. Bobby Jindal will travel to Asia for a weeklong trip seeking to cultivate business development and trade connections in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. The Republican governor announced the plans Wednesday, saying he and Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret will meet with representatives of 10 companies, along with senior government officials and others to discuss expanding economic ties between Louisiana and the countries. “We want to go there to personally communicate that my administration stands ready to assist the development of their respective projects in Louisiana and that these companies should consider our state as a strong partner in their prospective operations in Louisiana,” Jindal told the Baton Rouge Press Club on Wednesday in announcing his plans. The group — which will include Jindal’s communications director, two of Moret’s top deputies and the governor’s state
police security detail — leaves Saturday. This is the governor’s first overseas economic development mission during his six years in office. On the list for meetings are corporate executives in the energy, chemical and manufacturing industries. Jindal said that includes companies already doing business in Louisiana, like Formosa and Shintech, and companies that the state is actively recruiting for projects in the state. He wouldn’t name the specific businesses or projects he was trying to woo, but he said he expects to make additional overseas economic development trips in the coming months. Considered a possible 2016 presidential candidate, Jindal said the trip doesn’t have anything to do with boosting his international relations experience after years of limiting his travel to the U.S. “Louisiana’s got a great opportunity to attract investment, to attract jobs. The reality is we’ve See JINDAL, on page 2
Port Allen City Council Approves Budget
The event will offer residents a chance to buy one admission and get one free.
BAKER. La—BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo will be hosting a Baker City Appreciation Day on Saturday, Jan. 11. The festivities will include buy one, get one admission for Baker visitors, special guests and a Baker-themed scavenger hunt throughout the day. Special guests include Mayor Harold Rideau; Kelsea Glorioso, Baker Buffalo Festival Teen Queen; Layna Baker, Baker Buffalo Festival Deb Queen; and BREC Superintendant Carolyn
ODUMS, SOUTHERN AGREE TO 3-YEAR EXTENSION
McKnight. Special guests will be present for the opening of the Zoo at 9:30 a.m. to kick-off the day. The Baker City Appreciation Day is one of four to be held within the next four weeks. There will also be a Zachary City Appreciation Day on Saturday, Jan. 18; Central City Appreciation Day on Saturday, Jan. 25; and Baton Rouge City Appreciation Day on Saturday, Feb. 1. “Our city appreciation day event series is a new one that we’re
excited to kick off,” said Phil Frost, Zoo Director. “We want to make sure our surrounding communities know how much we truly appreciate their continuing support in making the Zoo a premiere family attraction in East Baton Rouge Parish.” The offer to buy one regular price admission, get one of equal or lesser value free will be offered for all visitors presenting an official Louisiana driver’s license with a recognized Baker zip code.
PORT ALLEN, LA -The Port Allen City Council approved an operating budget Wednesday, over six months after the plan was scheduled to take effect. The meeting did include a public hearing on the plan and members of council heard why some members of the public believe the proposed budget benefits higher paid city employees. “A lot of the small people are still going to suffer under this proposal with what you got going now,” said one resident. Councilwoman Ray Helen Lawrence agreed saying high ranking administrative employees earn more than their counterparts in cities of similar size. “It’s just totally out of compliance with other cities our size are making,” said Lawrence. Councilman Hugh Riviere countered that each employee will be reviewed by Mayor Lynn Robertson and could potentially receive an even bigger pay hike. “The mayor has the option to grant extra pay and extra increase
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LOCAL
BUSINESS
HEALTH
to the lower earning employees if it’s deserving,” said Riviere. The budget talk quickly shifted to the numbers after the public hearing as Chief Financial Officer Audrey McCain broke down the figures for council members. A unanimous vote to approve the budget followed and Councilman Brandon Brown says it’s a big step forward for a city looking to turn the corner. “We definitely have to keep the progressive mind frame or we will remain stagnant and continue to be the mess and drama when at the end of the day we don’t need that,” said Brown. “It’s a good feeling everybody worked together to get this done, hopefully something that can move this city forward and after all we can start spending money now,” added Robertson. The Port Allen budget goes into effect retroactive to July 1 and part of that plan is just over a two percent cost of living pay raise across the board for city employees.
RELIGION I was sitting on the back porch sipping an ice-cold tea with a splash of lemon when I received a text from a relative up north. I was enjoying a pleasant afternoon basking in the winter sun of Florida..See Page 6
INDEX
ACA EDUCATION SESSIONS Mayor Kip Holden’s office said it is Southern University and Head Football Coach Dawson Odums have agreed in principle to a multi-year contract extension that will keep the 2013 SWAC “Coach of the Year” in Baton Rouge through 2017, the school announced Thursday.....See Page 8
teaming up with federally funded health insurance to present seven educational sessions about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) at East Baton Rouge Parish libraries. ..See Page 3
THE HISTORY OF US POVERTY
The number of Americans who consider themselves impoverished increases and decreases with the economy, but overall, the number is growing..See Page 5
DOCTORS URGE: GET A FLU SHOT When it comes to the flu, mom-
my’s-to-be are especially vulnerable to infection. With so many changes going on inside the body, doctors say a woman’s immune system isn’t as strong during pregnancy...See Page 7
Local & State............................2 Commentary.............................4 Business....................................5 Religion....................................6 Health.......................................7 Sports.......................................8
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