Redstick Murder Rate Escalates Monday, Jan 25 2010

 Update:  Law Enforcement remains fairly mum regarding the escalation of crime in the Redstick.  Major crime is up 8% with the largest increase in murder at 14%, followed by burglary at 13% and thefts are robberies tied for 3rd place at a 10% increase.  It’s a commonly known fact that increases in theft, robbery and burglary will prove to be a breeding ground for continued escalation in more serious crimes such as murder.  “What happened to Mayor Holden’s no toleration for crime in the Redstick?

Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Nothing good ever comes from violence.”

• The Advocate reports: 88 murders in East Baton Rouge Parish in 2009 (considered violent crime). 
• There were actually 89 murders, as I give reverence to the fact that one woman that was murdered was pregnant. 
• The statistics also do NOT include the additional deaths in vehicles, accidental shootings and self-defense.  If those were included, the total would be 109.
• Nevertheless, of the 88 murders reported:
  • 55 resulted in NO arrests (62%, not “half” as reported by The Advocate – someone grab them a calculator, please!)
  • 33 resulted in 50 arrests (many had 2 perps, and 1 had 3 working in collusion to commit the murder).  (38%)   Of those arrested:
    • 4 were convicted
    • 3 had charges dropped
    • 2 were acquitted
    • 2 resulted in a refusal by the grand jury to indict
    • 22 remain unknown/status unreported
• 1 murderer committed suicide

In August, 2009, Police Chief Jeff Leduff said, “Is violent crime up?  Yes it is.”

Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, in that same interview, said, “I don’t think we can blame any of our current crime rate on Katrina or the aftermath of Katrina”.   Important since the Mayor’s office often blames the influx of Katrina victims for crime woes in the Redstick.

Adam Knapp, CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, claimed in the interview that crime is not an issue for the types of businesses they solicit for the Red Stick when referring to export-driven companies vs. retail businesses. 

That is the first time I have ever heard that crime is not a concern for relocating business and industry.  Whether relocating or hiring good workers, with all due respect to BRAC, crime statistics and quality of life is always a concern and a key component in providing an economic development profile for a parish to prospective new businesses.  Of course, BRAC leaders know this fact.

Mayor Kip Holden tried to play down crime statistics as well stating it’s not as bad a picture as is being painted.  This is ridiculous.  If Holden wants to be America’s next greatest city, as he proclaims, he needs to get up to speed with reality and understand that a rising murder rate doesn’t make for people flocking to the Redstick.

Evidently there are some who still believe if we click our heels and chant there is no place like home, there is no place like home, that all will be just fine.

Voters disagree. 

In fact, everyone who is of sound mind believes otherwise.  We can talk about bond issues, improving downtown, building bike paths, and creating amusement parks all we wish, but neglecting our murder rate and increase in violent crime will be a key factor in losing or gaining the best and brightest.

The fact remains that we have a huge crime challenge in the Red Stick.  Arguing as to whether the population is accurate or crime statistics are in the city limits or in the unincorporated portion of the parish is moot. 

Jeff Leduff said it best, and seems to be one of the few living in the real world. 

Recently, this was evidenced by Sheriff Sid Gautreaux’s pitiful attempts to claim that murders ‘in his jurisdiction outside the city limits’ is down.  Does he really believe we disassociate the city limits when thinking about the Red Stick. 

Whether you live in the city limits overseen by the Baton Rouge Police Department or outside of the corporation limits overseen by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, you should note that it was Sheriff Sid Gautreaux that proclaimed in his campaign for office that most perpetrators cross city and parish lines.  So, if you live in Zachary, criminals from North Baton Rouge are too close for comfort.  Just as those who live off Bluebonnet find Gardere far too close for the safety of their families.   (If you want to see where you live according to the annexation map, click here.)

Safety is one of the most important aspects to our quality of life.  An increase in the murder rate threatens the safety we all aspire to enjoy in the Redstick. 

Dismissing the increase in violent crime and murder rate shows ignorance in its truest form.

District Attorney Hillar Moore came into office recognizing and moving forward with programs that will address this issue head-on by working with our youth to prevent them from taking the wrong path.  Moore also recognizes the importance of protecting witnesses, and prosecuting repeat offenders.  These are worthwhile programs and should be fully funded by the Mayor’s Office instead of creating bike paths from Memorial Stadium to Downtown Baton Rouge.

I would like to see Mayor Kip Holden return to his promise of “no tolerance for violent crime” in East Baton Rouge Parish.  That would be time and money well spent. 

We must build from the bottom up and work on the most important aspects of our quality of life with the safety of our lives, homes and families being paramount. 

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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Mayor Holden Breaks Another Promise Wednesday, Jan 13 2010

Update:  The study Mayor Holden said would not take place, did and has been released! 

The most interesting aspect of the study includes the list of items that your tax dollars via the City of Baton Rouge plan to fund.  That list includes:

• Redesign of the Central Green
  • Programming Study
  • Schematic Design
  • Modifications to River Road at the LASM site (along with federal appopriations)
  • Riverfront Plaza
• Green Infrasctruture
  • Commission Mapping to Assess and Diagram Existing Conditions (through increase in budget to DDD)
  • Design a comprehensive Urban Forest
  • Pursue a phased planting of the Urban Forest
  • Ensure durability and longevity of the Urban Forest
• Victory Park Neighborhood
  • Acquire Post Office site for future redevelopment and/or open space
  • Establish guidelines for future development of Post Office site
• Redevelopment of Victory Park
  • Connections to the Mississippi River
  • Extend the levee promenade to DeSoto Park (along with Corp of Engineers)
  • Spanish Town Corridor Pedestrian Connection (along with state funding)
  • River Road Narrowing (along with state funding)
  • River Road Crossings at Florida and North (along with state funding)
  • Extend Capitol Park to DeSoto Park and the River (along with state funding)
• Connections to the Neighborhood
  • Two way traffic on St. Ferdinand and St. Louis (along with state funding)
  • Two way traffic on Laurel and Lafayette (along with state funding)
• Housing and Mixed-Use Incentives
  • Tax abatements
  • Retail and Entertainment Incentives
• Waiver of construction license and permit fees
  • Facade improvement and building rehabilitation (along with potential grants)
  • A cleaner, safer, better maintained and attractive Downtown
• Skilled workforce recruitment and funding
  • Coordinated Parking Management
• Establish downtown parking function with DPW or DDD
  • Increase enforcement capacity
  • Shared use agreements
  • Shared state parking garages (along with 3rd parties and state funding)
• Unified signage for parking
  • New zoning, design standards, and code enforcement in Downtown
• Historic District Protection
  • New design guidelines (along with DDD)
  • LEED standards for new developments
  • Views to the Mississippi River
• River Road developments
  • Retail uses on Lafayette Street
  • Code enforcement
• Marketing and Branding Downtown
  • Branding (along with DDD)

Page 85 of the report indicates the budget for the Downtown Development District would need to be doubled for the portions they would be responsible for exclusively.  Their budget would be increased from $576,000 to $1,152,000.  This would be done through an increase in taxes as follows: 

• DDD property millage from 10 to 12.5 mills
• DDD tax increase from 2% to 2.25%

Additionally, the study indicates that EBRP’s city spending would need to increase significantly, but no specific figures are given or assigned.  Though there are recommendations for private funding and grants, no amount is indicated as to the exact amount of expenditures required.

In other words, NO specific budget is attached to the report.  Nor are there any assigned amounts for each of the expenditures listed above that the City of BR/Parish of EBR would underwite.

This is an overview, and you can read the entire report in this 22 MB file if you are willing to take time for it to download. 

The bottom line is that we have another broken promise by undertaking a study which Mayor Holden takes full credit for at the beginning of the report on page two as he announces his “Phase 2″ plan for Downtown Baton Rouge.

Given the fact that the report indicates 225,000 as our city limit population with only 2,000 residents in the Downtown area, this seems to be another plan to spend extensive taxpayer funds for less than 1% of the city’s residents (page 67).  It would be fair, however, to mention that there are 20,705 workers in Downtown Baton Rouge, of which 10,179 are city-parish or state workers. 

So, here we are.  Another study, and most likely millions of tax dollars to improve Downtown only! 

##

Just one year ago, Mayor-President Kip Holden made a promise:

“There will not be another study this government will fund,” Holden said.  (Baton Rouge Business Report Daily Report, January 13, 2009.

Yesterday, this same publication reported:

— The DDD is undertaking a strategic planning study to see if the organization’s processes or structures could be improved. A report is expected in the next three to four months. (Baton Rouge Business Report Daily Report, January 12, 2010.

The facts continue to show that Holden is a tax and spend liberal, even in light of a decrease in city-parish tax collections for 2009. 

The DDD (Downtown Development District) is a quasi-parish government agency funded by your tax dollars.  The upcoming agenda for the East Baton Rouge Metro Council has an item to increase the salary of the executive director, Davis Rhorer.  Expenditures for the DDD require a stamp of approval from the Mayor or Metro Council. 

Mayor Holden’s Chief Administrative Officer, Mike Futrell, told The Advocate, “This fits in precisely with Mayor Holden’s vision…”

BREC Superintendent, Bill Palmer, said no special funds are available. 

As they say — follow the money!  Need I say more?

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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Top 10 Redstick Stories Monday, Dec 21 2009

 

2009 is coming to a close, and it seems everyone is choosing their Top 10 Stories in East Baton Rouge Parish.  Unfortunately, at least from my perspective, it doesn’t seem that those stories are truly representative of what happened in the Red Stick.  So, I thought I would share my personal take on what impacted us as a community including the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

1. GOOD:  The swearing-in of new Metro Council members that are actively engaged and more representative of our community.  One example is Councilman Joel Boe’ who defied odds by leading the charge to include the entire parish in Mayor Holden’s proposed bond issue/tax increase.  This resulted in verbal attacks against Boe’ from the Mayor, but won the respect of voters and citizens in the Red Stick. 
2. BAD:  An apparent escalation in violent crime in the Red Stick is definitely the tip of the iceberg in our community.  As 2009 approaches the same number of murders as 2010, it is painful at best to watch the daily news.  By August 1, murders were already 48% higher than the previous year.  UPDATE:  The Advocate reported a record high for murders in East Baton Rouge Parish of 86 murders (75 in the city limits and 11 outside the city limits) .  What happened to Mayor Holden’s no tolerance for crime in the Red Stick?
3. UGLY:  Mayor Kip Holden is accused of having an affair, and turns on his alleged accusers by demanding a federal investigation.  After Holden claims he knows who is behind the expose’, he names numerous parties one at a time to no avail in a desperate attempt to put the focus on others.  The only thing Holden accomplishes is showing his character and consistent tendency to attack others.
4. GOOD:  For the first time that I can remember, more citizens in East Baton Rouge Parish engaged in a proposed bond issue/tax increase.  With standing room only, EBRP Metro Council meetings took on hundreds of voters both for and against the bond issue.  Seeing our community become actively engaged in a critical issue that could have affected our parish over the next 30 years was refreshing and exciting!
5. BAD:  Learning that Mayor Kip Holden and his entourage withheld critical information from the Metro Council and voters regarding his proposed tax increase/bond issue.  No doubt, it was the kiss of death to an untimely plan to build a “Holden Legacy” that our children would pay for over the next 30 years.  It was a huge blunder to build a campaign with dishonest intentions.
6. UGLY:  The personal attack on Lee Domingue, candidate for Senate District 16’s beloved seat in the Red Stick.  Domingue laid his past failures open for all to read about in his book Pearls of the King.  His faith was attacked, and so was his church, Healing Place, and Pastor, Dino Rizzo.  To add insult to injury, the Pennington’s power and money reached down to the front page of The Advocate in an attempt to discredit Domingue about a seven-year old business disagreement.  It proved the point that Baton Rouge still has a small town mentality.
7. GOOD:  Thousands of voters paid a visit to the Louisiana State Capitol to voice their disdain for the national stimulus package.  Made possible by the Red Stick Tea Party, citizens once again made the argument that wasteful government spending must end. 
8. BAD:   Sales tax revenues continued to drop in the Red Stick resulting in a 4.64 decrease as of October, 2009.  Instead of paying attention to the Mayor and BRAC’s elusive reports of how the economy has not touched the Red Stick, the facts say otherwise.  Though Holden claims services will not be cut, it is inevitable that you cannot experience a reduction in income without a consideration in spending cuts.
9. UGLY:  In a small downtown office in the Red Stick, a Ponzi scheme was birthed which took hundreds of trusting people to the cleaners.  Today, Stanford is a name that brings even the strongest of our citizens to their knees.  An estimated $8 billion scheme confiscated life savings and retirement funds from a large Baton Rouge contingency. Offshore banks, international funds and prospectus reports that were highly inflated devastated far too many of our Red Stick citizens.  Perhaps it is more proof that when it seems to good to be true, perhaps it is?
10. GOOD:  LSU baseball Coach Paul Mainieri brought back the gold by clinching the 2009 College World Series title.  Mainieri also was honored as National Coach of the Year and Southeastern Coach of the Year for 2009.  Tiger fans retained the prestigious position of #1 in attendance in the nation, and enjoyed a luxurious new Tiger Box Stadium that rivals the best in the country.

Although life contains the good, the bad and the ugly, it is truly my hope that 2010 will bring more of the good and that we will learn from the bad and ugly of this year. 

Those things considered to be bad or ugly in the Red Stick surround the misuse of power in ethics, moral and criminal behavior.  Anytime someone takes the position that they can exercise power over others with no regard for their life or well-being, suffering is imminent.

The good things in our community were all made possible by the gathering together of citizens that care about our community and were willing to engage in what is important in the Red Stick. 

If we continue to invest in the greater good, surely we will have a fruitful year in 2010. 

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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Tiger Woods: Coming Undone Wednesday, Dec 9 2009

 

No one can argue that Tiger Woods is #1 in the golfing world and in the lives of individuals who have followed his incredible career.  We have stood beside him, cheered him on, and hailed him as a hero.

Better yet, ten million young people have been touched by the Tiger Woods Foundation, an organization founded by Tiger and his father, Earl, to promote character development, setting goals, and achieving your dreams through applying yourself. 

Tiger Woods claims that the foundation was established on the character traits he learned from his parents:  Integrity, Honesty, Discipline, Responsibility and Fun.

Nike, one of Tiger’s sponsors, even went so far as to create what ESPN claims was the most profound TV commercial in sports history known as I am Tiger Woods.  Children of every nationality have been inspired by Tiger Woods’ story and ability to show that hard work pays off.  It truly has been a phenomina.

It wasn’t just the golf, or the life-long dream realized that made us fall in love with Tiger.  It was the man, his story, his dedication, his persistence, his character.  Character:  moral excellence.

Now we find ourselves in a dilemna.  As we mull over the definition of character and the persona of a man that we have hailed as a hero to our children, we learn he has flaws we never dreamed existed. 

Now, we gleen into the life of someone we thought we knew.  It doesn’t mean that his incredible golf feats are less, but simply that once again a hero has allowed his personal demons to lower him to a level we never imagined.

We did not judge him on the color of his skin, but on the content of his character.  So what are we to believe now?

The jury is still out.  Rumors and innuendos are circling above Tiger’s million dollar mansion.  No doubt there is some truth to the accusations when 10 16 women come forward sharing the details of torrid love affairs with Tiger, a married man.  An admission of shortfallings and causing harm to his family by Woods was just short of a confession of guilt. 

The personal life Tiger fought so hard to keep private is now being played out on a stage like a bad play on Broadway.

Time will tell where Tiger’s transgressions will take him. 

All eyes are upon him, and the debates are already tiring.  No matter how much some try to justify or excuse his behavior, the truth is that we are watching another icon tumble. 

Tiger Woods has spent a lifetime telling us that responsibility and commitment are the keys to a better life. 

As always, the world is watching and waiting Tiger.  How will you handle what really matters in life?  How will you reconcile a life coming undone? 

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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The EBRP Money Tree Friday, Nov 27 2009

 

Mayor-President Kip Holden is full of contradictions.  Perhaps this is one of the reasons I question budgetary issues in the Red Stick.  All one has to do is to pay attention, do a small amount of research and compare the endless trail of contradictions.

On one hand the Mayor’s Office released information indicating the fact that East Baton Rouge Parish income has decreased (according to a recent report in The Advocate).  Income from taxes is on the decrease in EBRP.  So much so, that the finance department is closely watching for potential challenges in city-parish spending for 2010.

Meanwhile, Mayor Holden plans to spend more of our tax dollars to lure new airlines to the Baton Rouge Metro Airport.  The increase in city parish spending would include $200,000 in advertisement and a 100% reduction in terminal rent, landing fees (that means free for the airline) for 2 years with an additional 5 cent reduction in fuel costs.  The expenditure was approved by the EBRP Metro Council on November 25th.

Flash back to 2007.  Mayor Holden cut a deal with Frontier Airlines to the tune of $1,000,000.  The promise was that the Red Stick would enjoy 3,000 indirect and 2,000 direct jobs.  As usual, the employment numbers were inflated and Frontier flew into the sunset one year later with $550,000 of our tax dollars.

Either Mayor Holden has a money tree we are not aware of, or he is banking that our tax income will not continue to drop.  If income drops just a couple more percent, city-parish’s budget will be operating in a deficit.

There is also the theory that Mayor Holden is a tax and spend liberal.  I prescribe to this belief.

Michael Acaldo, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul, indicated they served a record number of Thanksgiving meals to the needy in Baton Rouge. 739 vs 600 in past years, making that an all-time 20-year high.

Holiday Helpers normally serves 1,200 meals annually; however, they served 1,500 needy citizens this year — another record-breaking number of hungry families. 

These are specific indicators of the issues facing families in the Red Stick.  While Mayor Holden tries to convince us that the Red Stick has gone unscathed by the U.S. recession, we now have more evidence to indicate the opposite is true. 

It is so important that voters do their homework.  What we are told and the facts are sometimes drastically different. 

Is there a pending financial crisis for the city-parish, or are the coffers flowing to the point we can increase expenditures by nearly a quarter of a million dollars to lure another airline with no guarantees? 

Are families unscathed, or are they working hard to make ends meet?

Phaedrus said, things are not always as they seem, the first appearance deceives many.  The intelligence of few perceives what has been carefully hidden. 

The truth is important, and all we need to do is to look at the facts vs. political double-talk. 

How you spend someone else’s money speaks volumes.  Holden’s actions continue to prove he is spendthrift with our tax dollars.  While we are having record numbers of hungry families in the Greater Baton Rouge area, Holden is continually seeking out ways to increase spending.

Does Mayor-President Holden have an EBRP money tree?  Only if you have it hidden in your pocketbook.

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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The Politics of Guilt Friday, Nov 20 2009

Mayor Kip Holden is practicing what I like to call the Politics of Guilt in response to voters decision to defeat his proposed tax increase in the form of a bond issue. 

After being absentee for several days, Holden finally spoke out in his normal ‘revengeful’ manner inferring to the media that “sometimes you have to show the error of ways to move to the next step”.  The Mayor went on to liken the voters to a parent refusing to invest in the future of their child.

Someone get me some boots because it’s getting pretty deep in the Red Stick!

There is no doubt that our infrastructure needs attention, but Holden says there is no money in the city-parish budget and he refuses to cut services.  (If he needs some guidance to cutting the fat, he might want to read a few of my recommendations here.)

The fact that we have not addressed the infrastructure is not completely the fault of Red Stick voters.  It is a combination of numerous factors including the fact that those with the purse strings have been spendthrift with our tax dollars.

It is so difficult to comprehend the mentality that the Mayor holds fast to because it is a contradiction of his actions.  His continuous justification for spending thousands of dollars a month for security guards and other personal amenities (that no other previous Mayor has enjoyed) makes for a “do as I say, not as I do” mentality.  Voters frown upon this type of leadership.

 A quick look at the city-parish budget reveals an endless stream of dollars to special interests that Holden has hand-picked to receive.  It doesn’t work to use the politics of guilt on voters when you are freely giving tax dollars to your pet peeve projects. 

Any way you cut it, Holden is sending another message.  It’s a familiar one: 

• If you dare to disagree, question or go against Mayor Holden’s plan, he will punish you. 

Just ask Councilman Joel Boe’. 

It’s a sign of poor leadership when you can’t take constructive criticism or allow others to be involved in the process.  Taking this position is a mistake that will surely haunt you.

The sooner Holden and his entourage learn that they are elected and appointed, and that the money is not theirs, the quicker we can get to a solution on curbing city-parish spending and moving forward. 

The next greatest city in America will be one that embraces the citizens and respects their opinions, not one that will practices the politics of guilt.

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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Silent Majority No More! Sunday, Nov 15 2009

Once again, the voters of East Baton Rouge Parish took to the polls on Saturday to say no to Mayor-President Kip Holden’s proposed $901 million bond issue.  Voters rejected paying an half-cent sales tax increase and a 9.9 mill property tax to fund questionable projects in 2008, and repeated that message on Saturday.

The message is simple.  City Parish government needs to live within its’ means. 

Senate District 16 is known as the most influential voting district in East Baton Rouge Parish.  Out of 103 voting precincts in District 16, 100 precincts voted NO to Holden’s tax increase.  Quite telling.

Unfortunately, Mayor-President Kip Holden and his entourage refuse to listen to those who elected him and appear to be considering a third run at the tax increase.  During the 10:00 p.m. WAFB news report, Holden, while claiming the voters turned their backs on the Mississippi River, hinted at regrouping for a third push at raising taxes.

What is most amazing is that Holden convinced businesses and political allies to donate more than $600,000 on a tax-increase campaign to convince voters to say yes.  The people would have been better served if those funds would have been used in the development of public-private partnerships than a poorly planned and executed tax increase campaign.

Holden pulled out the stops by garnering support from an endless list of politically motivated individuals and groups such as the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) who receives $500,000 annually from Holden for economic development.  Other key supporters included architects, contractors, attorneys and developers who stood to gain financially if the bond issue passed.  

On the other side of the issue, a very effective campaign was run by volunteers associated with the Baton Rouge Tea Party in their Beat the Bond message to voters.  The Tea Party spent less than 3% of the funds raised by their opponents, bringing home a victory with nearly a 3-to-1 vote against the tax increase with 64% voting no to higher taxes.

There is no doubt that this is not the final word on Holden’s plan to increase city-parish spending by passing it on to taxpayers.  Likewise, I believe the voters have gained strength by proving their vote can make a difference.

Voters are more savvy than in any time in history.  They have witnessed their federal tax dollars flowing into the coffers of financial institutions and car manufacturers, not to mention the dollars pumped into special interests. 

The seeds of deception Holden and his entourage sowed with the Metro Council and EBRP voters, no doubt, played a key role in the defeat of his tax proposal.  Once trust is violated, it’s a losing proposition.

Finally, Holden needs to learn that holding fast to a bullying mentality toward those who expressed concern or questioned his decision to increase taxes is no way to win over the public.  Voters have grown weary of political games, and expressed their disdain for this type of behavior.

The greatest event arising from the proposed tax increase was the involvement and feedback from voters who have been silent in the past.  As the Baton Rouge Tea Party says, Silent Majority No More!

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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The Devil is in the Details Wednesday, Nov 4 2009

 

When small things have larger consequences, we say “the devil is in the details” and this precisely describes Mayor-President Kip Holden’s $901 million tax increase which will cost an additional $814 million in interest.

Holden and his entourage have already proven to be less than trustworthy in being forthcoming with the voters.  Now, it is our job to spend a little more time looking at the facts.

It’s tough to fight city hall when they use diversion tactics to keep the voters away from the facts.  Better late than never, the media finally gave the voters critical information that Holden’s entourage chose to keep private.  They are to be complimented. 

I’m not sure which of the critical details are most important, so I’ll let you decide:

• In November, 2008, the voters spoke by voting down Holden’s bond issue.  The Mayor and his entourage have chosen to ignore 51% of the voter’s decision, repackaged the tax increase and is pushing it on us again.
• Mayor Kip Holden’s city-parish budget has increased by $118 million in four years.  Now, he wants to increase spending and pass it on to us in the form of a NEW tax.
• The bond issue is a 30-year tax that will cost the voters $2.175 billion, based on Mayor Holden’s figures of $41 million annually from a 1/2 cent tax and $31 million annually from a 9.9% millage x 30 years = $2.175 billion.
• Mayor Holden and his entourage purposely kept critical information from voters and the EBRP Metro Council regarding land ownership problems that his proposed Alive! will be built upon.
• When Metro Councilman Joel Boe’ brought questions to the forefront that were important for voters to consider, Mayor Holden publicly flogged the councilman. 
• Mayor Holden claims that Alive! will generate unachievable numbers of visitors annually.  Meanwhile, the Louisiana Arts & Science Museum has shown a drop in annual attendance and state funding was cut resulting in shorter hours and increased prices.
• Details of the fees associated with the bond issue have not been revealed to date, yet voters are expected to pay a 30-year note without full disclosure.
• In 2007, we elected Sheriff Sid Gautreaux on the promise that he would do whatever necessary to save the voters $2.6 million annually on housing prisoners in facilities outside of EBR Parish including putting up temporary housing or tents at the parish prison.  Not only has this not been done, he now wants us to build a new prison that will only accommodate an additional 550 beds which Francis Cauffman Foley Hoffman’s study says will only cover a three year increase in inmates.  The tax we are paying, however, is for 30 years.  Former Sheriff Greg Phares declared that a study done by Lensing and Maggio indicated that providing temporary housing would be more cost-efficient with only a slight increase for staff, food and beds.  Gautreaux obviously ignored this study in order to support a tax increase negating another promise he made during his campaign to not increase our taxes once he took the reigns as Sheriff of EBR Parish.
• Consistent misinformation has been shared with the voters including statements made by Holden’s entourage.  When questioned as to how much of the revenues will be derived from the 9.9% mill tax and 1/2 cent sales tax, “it is virtually 50-50” was their answer. (General Questions #6)  Yet The Advocate indicates that the breakdown is actually 62% from the 1/2 cent tax and 38% from the 9.9% millage. 

So much misinformation, so little time to check the facts.  Perhaps this is the plan by Holden and his entourage?  Will it work?  Or will the voters take a hard look at raising taxes in troubled financial times and say, enough is enough?

Will the voters be swayed by groups like the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce that receives $500,000 of OUR tax dollars annually from Mayor Holden to play a public relations role by touting economic development?  What about the mirage of financial supporters to Holden’s tax increase that includes a long list of companies and individuals that will benefit from the bond issue?

Why did Holden insist on not disclosing critical information to the voters, much less his own Metro Council?  Will his tactics of attacking those who question the bond issue work as a bait-and-switch agenda to divert voters from the real facts?

I have to totally disagree with insane claims that we can triple tourism because of Alive! being built, or that it will stop the exodus of our young and talented people.  Or, that we will drastically increase events at the River Center because of an expansion and new parking garage.  We expanded it before and saw virtually no increase in events.  

The carrot keeps moving folks!

Discrediting voters and cost-sensitive residents of EBR Parish has been the focus of the entire bond issue CAMPAIGN by Holden and his entourage. 

It won’t work this time. 

The greatest thing that Mayor Holden’s proposed tax increase has accomplished is a dialogue by more EBRP citizens than in the history of the Red Stick.

It would be funny if it weren’t so sad that the small list of individuals supporting this tax increase has told us in the past that tax increases are not the answer, but responsible government spending is the answer.  What happened to our leaders?  It is stinking thinking to push a tax increase on us and not examine the spending habits of our Mayor.  

Every time these tired leaders want to get our attention and sway us into excessive spending, they use scare tactics and outdated sayings! 

Stop the insanity! 

Years ago we were told the Shaw Center, the rebuilding of hotels, the Casinos, updating the Centroplex, building Catfish Town, and more would save our city and make us a tourist mecca.  Oh, let’s not forget the building of an EMPTY dock on the riverfront.  Pretty to look at, but virtually unused! 

Maybe someone should talk with Secretary of State Jay Dardenne who has done more with less money and increased visitors at the museums under his purvue! 

While you are reading this, Holden’s entourage is working on getting out the vote. 

The only way you can stop this 30-year-tax-and-spend-plan for the Red Stick is to go to the voting booth and pull the lever by sending another message that we will not be bullied into increasing city-parish spending through a NEW tax! 

We cannot tax our way to prosperity, nor become the next greatest city in America by committing to a 30-year tax. 

Revolution is brewing!  Silent majority no more!  Join the Tea Party!  Vote NO to higher taxes, and Beat the Bond!

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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Deep Beneath the Batture Sunday, Oct 18 2009

“The people have spoken” used to mean something.  We entered the voting booth, pulled the lever, and our vote counted for something.  Unless you are Mayor Kip Holden or a member of his entourage.

I listened intently to last week’s special Metro Council meeting and heard some interesting comments from individuals for and against keeping Holden’s proposed tax in the form of a bond issue on the ballot in November.

It was Elizabeth Dent that succinctly explained that the people had already spoken in 2008 by voting NO to the tax increase/bond proposal.  Holden and his entourage continue to choose to live in denial over the voice of the people.

What part of NO don’t you understand, Mayor Holden?  

Perhaps the most creative comment for the tax increase was to “pull the lever for hope”,  although I don’t see Holden’s Alive! amusement park something that our children should ‘hope’ for when making their Christmas wish list.  At least not when statistics published in May, 2009 indicate we have 2,000 homeless children in our parish.    Or, the fact that Louisiana ranks #1 in children under the age of 5 as being on the brink of hunger! causing the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank to call for more donations this Thanksgiving/Christmas.

Doing the Math

Previously, I published the 2005 – 2008 budgets showing Holden has increased city-government spending — an increase of $116 million in less than 4 years. 

Shouldn’t we be cutting spending?  Instead, we plan to spend 2.175 billion on a tax increase. 

You may ask:  Is that correct?  Well, let’s do the math. 

The proposition states that a tax of 1/2% is expected to yield 41.5 million annually and an ad valorem tax of 9.9 mills expected to yield $31 million annually. 

41.5 million+ 31 million = 72.5 million x 30 years = 2.175 billion

Perhaps these figures will help us see the bigger picture and understand that if the actual items in the bond issue cost us $901 million, the difference will be going to something else.  The difference is $1.274 billion.  Now, we’re doing the math!

That ’something else’ ($1.27 billion) will be paid to a long list of individuals and companies who sorely want to see this bond issue pass. 

Now, I challenge the media and Metro Council to find the breakdown of who will make $1.274 billion while the voters will only enjoy $901 million for Alive!, a new prison, new JV facility, new public safety complex, new city hall, added light synchronization, some drainage improvements, expanding the River Center, and parking garages. 

In plain english, others will be making $373 million MORE than the taxpayers will be gaining.  Who will be making $1.274 billion on this bond issue?

Now, talk to me again about pulling the lever for hope?  Hope for whom?

Just in time for Halloween, Red Stick politics not only makes for strange bedfellows, but for deals that will make your head spin like Linda Blair in the Exorcist. 

Until next time,

Red Stick Republican

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Red Stick on Need to Know Basis Saturday, Oct 10 2009

 

Whether you call Mayor-President Kip Holden’s Alive! bond issue Waterworld, KipWorld, KipLand, or what it really is — a tax increase — one thing is for sure:  Voters are on a “need to know basis”.

Government is famous for the “need to know basis” that is indicative of individuals who do not want unwelcome scrutiny of their work or project.  Yet voters are intelligent enough to know that anytime there is a lack of information there is a reason. 

Former shadow mayor Walter Monsour was awarded a new position with a compensation package of $365,000 as the head of the East Baton Rouge Parish Redevelopment Authority.  That’s quite a little compensation package given the fact that he has been totally free to spend the majority of his time as a consultant and advisor to Mayor Kip Holden on the Alive! project.  Then again, it’s tax dollars, so who cares.  Right?

Now, do you understand how Red Stick politics works?

JR Ball of the Baton Rouge Business Report is digging deeper into the Alive! controversy and painting it in a very accurate light.  Yesterday, Ball portrayed Holden’s bond issue as a campaign coming undone with Alive! barely hanging on life support.  His acknowledgement that anyone not agreeing blindly with Holden and his entourage are immediately attacked hit the nail on the head.  In fact, it’s just further proof of the “need to know basis” campaign that Holden and his entourage have been running.

It’s pretty simple folks, and I know you are smart enough (given the facts) to figure it out.  2 + 2 = 4  

Buyer beware!  There is not one investor worth his salt that would invest nearly a billion dollars without having every inch of the detail of the deal.  Ask the Donald.  Any acquisition requires an extensive Due Diligence in order to be assured you are making a wise decision.  It’s common sense!

Oh, I suppose if you are spending someone else’s money (like the taxpayers) you might not worry about doing a comprehensive checklist of crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s.  This is what our Mayor and his entourage have done.  It’s a sad commentary on city-parish government and what has been going on behind the scenes for years.

Alas!  We wanted NEW, fresh leaders on the EBR Parish City Council.  We got them.  Thank God!  They are like the new kids on the block and I feel like a proud parent cheering them on from the sidelines.  They are to be commended for their leadership and inquiring minds.  Joel Boe’ caught my eye as did Trae Welch, Chandler Loupe, Scott Wilson, Alison Cascio and Tara Wicker.  Go, Go, Go!  You do your jobs by representing the people:  VOX POPULI is your cry.  You are even converting and giving wings to potential leaders like Smokie Bourgeois.  There is strength in numbers!

Citizen Kane, also known as Lane Grigsby, has long been a huge supporter of electing fresh new leaders with a vision of the future and the ability to effect change.  Lane understands the principle that he will not be here forever and wants to leave a legacy of strong young leaders behind to carry on.  He has been highly criticized from time to time for his political antics, and I cannot always endorse his methods.  As they say, though, to know him is to love him if you understand his motivation to see new leadership rise to the top.   He was responsible for some of these new leaders.  Thank you Lane!

All of these things that I have screamed from my soap box for the last few years tie together.  The voters need to be informed, active and not dismissed.  Politicians need to be more open and honest.  We are adults here and we do not need to be coddled or treated on a “need to know basis”. 

As in my profile, I always say and believe that if the people are provided with the full picture they can make an informed decision.  All of our decisions may not be right, but at least we have the facts and will learn from our mistakes. 

Government spending is out of control.  No one will argue that fact.  At the same time, while we are excited about LSU, Pennington Biomedical, Perkins Rowe, and the widening of I-12, we still have a long way to go in properly funneling and controlling city-parish spending.  I will never give up my belief that the people of this parish need to be respected and treated like first class citizens and not sheep being led into the voting booth for slaughter.

Get out the black vote?  Give them info on a need to know basis?  Stand on polls that show a 93% favorable rating?  Promise no more downtown studies while we are studying away?  Tell them what we think they want to hear?  All of these things are based on political strategies that may have worked in the past, but no more.  Enough is enough! 

While Holden and his entourage may have the support of organizations that receive city-parish funding such as the Redevelopment Authority, Downtown Development District and Baton Rouge Area Chamber, there is a larger and more important constituency that is against the Alive! bond issue.

Never underestimate the power of the voters.  If you believe a woman scorned was difficult to deal with, welcome to the world of enlightened voters.

Until the next time,

Red Stick Republican

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