Jun 23 2008
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What they get paid -
Forget the "base pay" - that's a joke. In terms of real compensation, our legislators are VERY well cared for. Per diems, full time assistants, office allowances, and more... See for yourself!
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Anyone selling yard signs? I would buy several.
“Enough is Enough. Veto the Raise.”
Saw your ad on Facebook & I thought I’d chime in on the pay raise. I think the State needs 2 expect more from it’s Legislature We need sharper and more ethical people there. As a business owner I hire sharp people & pay them well. I don’t want someone worth 16k running my business so why on earth do i want people worth 16k running my state? I think we should pay them 100k. This would attract better people. The good ones would be re-elected and the bums would get beaten by sharper people. I could care les about the welfare of the legislature, but I care very much about our State. Hiring, i.e. electing, sharp people is in all our best intersests.
Please read this: http://www.legewatch.com/2008/06/debunking-the-pay-raise-lies/
They certainly do NOT get paid only $16k. And as a fellow business owner, I imagine you feel the same as I do - you’d want your employees to pay attention to your business (in this case a child support bill that affects peoples lives and bank accounts) instead of watching a baseball game.
http://www.legewatch.com/2008/06/leges-watch-lsu-game-during-session/
This letter makes me sick to my stomach; what a joke!
James M. Hudson should be tossed out on his butt!
LETTER FROM ???CONSERVATIVE??? JEFF BUSINESS COUNCIL
The Jefferson Business Council is an organization composed of many of the leading businesspeople in Jefferson Parish. For many years, our group has worked to build a solid and growing economy in the parish.
Although the Jefferson Business Council normally does not focus on political issues, we feel it important to comment on what we regard as a number of unfair editorials on the legislative pay raise that recently have appeared on this page.
We do not quarrel that the pay increase could have been handled more appropriately — a lesser increase effective after the next legislative election possibly was a better alternative. However, the constant stream of harsh commentary is not justified.
Let’s remember that the last salary increase for state legislators was effective in the early 1980s. The vast majority of our legislators are completely honest and sacrifice time away from family and friends to serve the public. They often spend long hours on the state’s business, whether or not the Legislature is in session. Being a Louisiana legislator is no longer a part-time job.
Consider also the importance of the work they do. These people are responsible for a $30 billion budget. Their actions affect our lives on a daily basis.
Now that the Legislature has acted on this controversial issue, we hope all parties will devote the same energy to addressing issues that will affect the quality of life and economic well being of all our citizens.
James M. Hudson
Chairman
Jefferson Business Council
Metairie
Et Tu Veto???
Let me get this straight.
Governor Jindal, “Bobby” to Jimmy Tucker, won’t veto the Legislators pay raise because ” the wheels will be taken off” of his reform agenda.
Now, the reform agenda is needed because state is in forty ninth or fiftieth of all positive measures of a civilization.
Remember, the state is in a sorry state because of the leadership and policies of the legislature for the past forty or so years.
Now, the boys and girls who got us in the dumps, threaten to keep us here if the Governor does not approve their pay raise. Got that.
Okay, when the boys and girls get their pay raise, they will be better legislators and really try to make things better here just like Mr. Jindal wants.
See, it makes so much sense.
Good Guy meets Bad Guys.
Bad Guys threaten Good Guy’s mother.
Good Guy tells Mom it’s for her own good.
Mom gets beat up, but feels better about it at reelection time.
Now, I’m asking you to believe in Louisiana again.
Ethics are a Noble Thing
Let the word go through all the land, Ethics have come to Louisiana!
A bright, honest young man, riding a wave of public revulsion, has passed a sweeping ethics reform bill to take the cronyism out of politics in the governance of Louisiana. Meeting in Special Session, a Legislature featuring many new faces passed the package in record time with few questions. Public disclosure, limits on lobbyist spending it was all there. The Governor was beaming.
Hold on, everything needs a little tweaking, even Ethics. A quick phone call to Judge Kostelka inserts a passage revising the level of proof needed to enforce the charges.”Clear and convincing” should do it. That will take care of the good ole boys they don’t get on tape or video.
In the session just ended, some more kinks turn up that need attention. Seems that some people don’t want to serve on the boards and commissions so dear to a legislators heart, if they have to disclose that they own the building the commission is renting. Some wise ass discovered that Noble Ellington’s wife would fall under the nepotism laws if she moved with Noble to the house after working for him in the Senate. We can’t have ole Noble hiring just anyone for the job, so language was devised for her benefit. Now she can watch him twenty four hours a day again.
Boy, don’t these new ethics feel great. No more favoritism or cronyism in government under the Jindal crew.
Tell the nation, it is a new day in Louisiana, I am asking you to believe in Louisiana again!!
Enough is enough! You can call it anything that you want but the truth of the matter is that our State government officials are stealing from the citizens of Louisiana.
The welfare of the Louisiana is at stake and unless we unite as a group and revolt against our unscrupulous politicians and remove, from office, every politician who voted in favor of the Legislative pay raise, we are no different from those countries living under a dictatorship and the kind of conditions that we as a nation strive to eliminate.
We must remember the names of every politician who either voted for the pay raise or abstained from voting, which is the same as voting for the increase, and remove them from office as soon as possible. It would also be a good idea plan a march on the State Capital and show some unity in our outrage. In the mean time it is imperative that we call, write, or e-mail Governor Bobby Jindal and remind him that he was elected based upon his platform of government reform and the end of that “Good Ole Boy” mentality. This is obviously an ethics issue and a serious one that that.
We have an education system that is an embarrassment; streets, sewer and drainage systems that are beyond repair and need to be entirely rebuilt; a police force that is overburdened with crime and prisons overflowing, resulting in criminals being redistributed throughout our communities.
Yet our so called “elected officials” spend their time and our money debating about what should be the “State Cocktail” or “State Cajun Christmas Story”. They want to give themselves a pay raise for that?
We are their employers and as such, it is up to us to determine when and what amount that pay raise should be. Like I said earlier – Enough is enough!
Uptown New Orleans District 5
Cheryl Gray voted “YES” on the pay raise. After calling her office my colleague was told, “Well, we have moved onto more important issues!”
Really?? More Important????? Well this is about to get very important Mrs. Gray.
recallcherylgray@yahoo.com
recallcherylgray@yahoo.com
Enough is Enough!!!
http://www.cafepress.com/badbobby
shirts, signs, buttons, bumper stickers, and hats for those who voted for him and regret it, and those who didn’t and are proud.
Greg J: I agree with you on the letter from Hudson..Legislators and Jindal: it is the economy stupid and ethics…which is why the citizens are outraged…..unethical, weak economy and a backdoor deal…..
The recall effort for Joe Lopinto is staying the course. Just because the governor vetoed the bill, does not mean a free pass. Wrong is wrong and right is right. Attorneys do not need a pay raise at taxpayer expense in these times of increasing cost. Updates soon. If you are an active registered voter of this district then you can sign the recall petition. All others who want to volunteer are most welcomed. Remember what Thomas Jefferson said, “Public offices were not made for private convenience.” http://recalllopintonow.com/
Dear Staff:
This is a continuation of my suggestion about changing the law regulating recalls. With the presence of computer technology, the process of recalling a legislator, when that becomes necessary, can be speeded up and made more convenient if a system of direct voting to the Secretay of State is implemented. The voting could be done on any computer, even a laptop with a wireless connection, but could also be done at a local Registrar of Voting office. This could eliminate much of the paper work and make the process much more practical and less time consuming.
In response to your post:
“# nolathymeon 25 Jun 2008 at 1:19 pm
Uptown New Orleans District 5
Cheryl Gray voted “YES” on the pay raise. After calling her office my colleague was told, “Well, we have moved onto more important issues!”
Really?? More Important????? Well this is about to get very important Mrs. Gray.
recallcherylgray@yahoo.com
recallcherylgray@yahoo.com
Enough is Enough!!!”
*****She also quit accepting emails. Thank you for the recall site. I shall go to it right now.