Monday, July 21, 2008

gambing in kansas

This letter to the editor was published in the Wichita Eagle Beacon, Friday, July 18. 2008.

Dear Editor:

This past weekend I visited family in Wichita and was appalled to see the amount of uncritical coverage your paper gave to gambling: three reporters and over 1,000 words.

It truly saddens me what has happened to Kansas since I left in 1969 with my graduate degree.

Gambling my Midwestern friends is not economic development. Gambling preys on those less fortunate folks who already cannot provide for themselves. Gambling destroys families Gambling buys local politicians like so many sacks of wheat. Gambling leaves a pittance behind temporarily and takes the lion's share of the profits to Las Vegas.

I urge all those who voted to keep organized gambling out of Wichita to join with their neighbors in Mulvane and Wellington to oppose gambling with every fiber of their bodies. For Gambling like a buzzard will suck the last morsel off the bones of a decaying and dying community. .Just come visit Louisiana last in everything good and first in everything bad if you don’t believe it.

Friday, July 18, 2008

RUMOR HAS IT

RUMOR HAS IT……..

Today is former Ouachita Parish police juror Kim Golden’s last day as administrative assistant to Monroe Mayor James Mayo. Her replacement is former Ouachita Parish police juror, the Rev. King Dawson.

James Cofer late of the race to become President of the University of Louisiana System is being sued by the Federal Government for $347,989.04 in unpaid payroll taxes for contract employees.

James Dupree currently terminated superintendent of the Monroe City School System has the four votes needed to return to his job for one more year.

Rumor has it that Monroe City Councilman and winner of a recent million dollar lottery will resign his position and cake walk into a 4th district court position. It’s possible that Mr. Johnson is legally blind, which by all accounts is a requirement for a district court position in Ouachita Parish.

Finally, rumor has it that Monroe City Councilman Jay Marx will be resigning his position because of an “ethical problem” involving his hardware store doing business with the City of Monroe. Of course, who knows what an “ethical problem” is anymore under the Jindal administration?

Thursday, July 10, 2008

U Can't Play The Game Without A Program

Yours truly would truly love to be running for congress in the 5th Congressional District, but that would mean I give a damn about Louisiana. Here is a list of those signing up to run in the Fall taken from the wwl web site. If any body asks where biggs is this weekend you just tell them I've gone to the courts, tennis that is.


List of qualifiers to run in this fall's electionsWWL.com Reporting
1st Congressional DistrictSteve Scalise (i), R-JeffersonJim Harlan, D-Lacombe"Vinny" Mendoza, D-Ponchatoula

2nd Congressional DistrictWilliam Jefferson (i), D-New OrleansTroy ``C'' Carter, D-New OrleansHelena Moreno, D-New OrleansByron Lee, D-MarreroCedric Richmond, D-New OrleansJames Carter, D-New OrleansKenya Smith, D-New OrleansJerry Jacobs, No Party-New OrleansMalik Rahim, Green-New Orleans3rd Congressional DistrictCharlie Melancon (i), D-Napoleonville.

4th Congressional DistrictWillie Banks, D-LacampArtis ``Doc'' Cash, D-ShreveportPaul Carmouche, D-ShreveportJohn Fleming, R-MindenJeff Thompson, R-Bossier CityChris Gorman, R-ShreveportJohn Milkovich, D-Keithville

5th Congressional DistrictRodney Alexander (i), R-QuitmanAndrew Clack, R-Rayville

6th Congressional DistrictWilliam ``Bill'' Cassidy, R-Baton RougeDon Cazayoux (i), D-Baton Rouge

7th Congressional DistrictCharles Boustany (i), R-LafayetteDon Cravins, D-OpelousasLouisiana

Supreme Court, Associate Justice, 1st DistrictRoland Belsome, D-New OrleansGreg Guidry, R-Nine Mile PointJimmy Kuhn, R-Ponchatoula.

Louisiana Supreme Court, Associate Justice, 5th DistrictCatherine ``Kitty'' Kimball (i), D-Ventress.

Public Service Commission, District 1Jack ``Jay'' Blossman Jr. (i), R-MandevilleJohn Schwegmann, No Party-Metairie

Public Service Commission, District 5Foster Campbell (i), D-Bossier City.

Don't you just love those nicknames y'all.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Series on Gambling Continues

As most of you know, I vigorously oppose gambling in all forms; it's a bad deal for Louisiana. Here's more reasons why from 2theadvocate.com

Marsha Shuler went to the ethics board (now completely vacant under Governor Jindal) to survey the 2007 income that legislators, their spouses and businesses received from government entities and the gambling industry. Here is a little of what she found.

Forty-four out of 104 current Louisiana House members reported government or gambling-related income by either themselves, their spouses or their businesses in 2007 as did 19 of 38 current Louisiana Senate members.

I am, of course, most interested in the money from gambling, so here goes. Rep. Ernest Wooten, R-Belle Chasse, the chair of the Louisiana House committee with oversight over gambling laws, received $16,000 from Redman Gaming of Louisiana LLC, a video poker business. The husband of state Senator "Queen" Ann Duplessis, received $43,500 from Churchill Downs Horse Racing Company. Rep. Willie Mount, D-Lake Charles, a lawyer, received $3,573 from Redman Gaming of Louisiana LLC. Rep. Ricky Templet, R-Gretna received $9,197 from Metro Gaming & Amusement Company. Rep. Jerry Gisclair, D-Larose, received $65,000 in radio station income from gambling interests. Rep. Gordon Dove, R-Houma, reported that a restaurant in which he is part owner receive $23,328 from B & L Amusements Company, related to video poker operations. My Texas Instruments calculator says that's $160,598 from gambling to legislators.

The Secretary of State's Office reports that Metro Gaming and Amusement is at 1800 Lafayette St., Gretna, 70053. President is Beuregard H. Miller, Jr., 77 Derbes Drive, the Vice-President is Arthur S. Lawson, Jr., 20 Derbes Drive, and the Secretary/Treasurer is Manuel J. Licciardi, 237 Fairfield Dr., all of Gretna. [It also reports on a Metro Gaming Investments, L.L.C. of 1800 Lafayette St. Gretna, LA 70053. Members are Manuel J. Licciardi, Arthur S. Lawson, Jr., and Beauregard H. Miller, Jr.]

Churchill Downs Louisians Horseracing Company, L.L.C. is located at C/O C T Corporation System, 8550 United Plaza Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Managers are Robert L. Evans, Steven P Sexton, and Randall E Soth all of 700 Central Avenue, Louisville, KY 40208

Finally, Redman Gaming of Louisiana, L.L.C. is located at C/O Frank J. Relan, 2424 Marietta Street, Kenner, LA 70062. managers are James P. Koehler, Frank J. Relan, and Bennie F. Relan all of 2424 Marietta Street, Kenner, LA 70062

There is no listing for B&L Amusement Co.

As you can read, gambling is an equal opportunity employer, republicans and democrats alike.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Speaker Tucker (On the Legislator's Pay Raise, "I' regret, but . . .

from the times picayune


House speaker regrets handling of raise
But higher salaries needed, Tucker says
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
By Meghan GordonWest Bank bureau

Facing a room full of Algiers constituents, House Speaker Jim Tucker said he regretted the way he and fellow legislators went about their pay raise campaign, but he continued to defend its merits.

"If we had to do it over again, we sure wouldn't do it this way, that's for sure," he told about 100 people at Holy Cross College.

Tucker, a Republican, joined fellow Algiers legislators Rep. Jeff Arnold and Sen. David Heitmeier, both Democrats. Citizens had pointed questions for Tucker and Arnold, asking them to defend their votes to double their base salaries. Heitmeier, meanwhile, faced a much friendlier crowd.
"I voted no," he said, pretending to hand the microphone back to Tucker to the room's laughter and applause.

Tucker, who played a pivotal role in the bill's passage, is one of six lawmakers targeted with recall campaigns. The public vitriol subsided somewhat when Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed the bill Monday, going back on his promise to lawmakers that he wouldn't intervene. The issue became the most controversial topic of the Legislature's session that ended last week.

Ursula Murphy of Algiers told the lawmakers that she was appalled to watch them boost their own pay when, back in the 1980s, she would have to trek to Baton Rouge every year as a Jefferson Parish school nurse to host ice cream parties as a ruse for begging for minuscule raises. She said her salary increased from about $10,000 to $17,000 in a decade.
"All you said was, 'I want the money,' and gave no explanation," she told them.
Murphy said she finally feels like a professional now that she works in the private sector as an occupational health nurse.

Tucker said he didn't support a similar legislative pay raise in 2005 because he said teacher pay was poor. He vowed not to tackle the issue until Louisiana made specific strides in financing public education.

"This year, teachers are going to go above the Southern regional average for the first time in history, and we've fully funded K-12 and higher education -- extremely important goals," he said.

With those accomplished, Tucker said, he found it appropriate to examine lawmakers' $16,800 annual salaries, which haven't grown in 28 years.
Arnold and Tucker both blamed bloggers and radio broadcasters for using false statements to stir up the controversy.

"The information that was put out, particularly through the blogs and through the radio, was so wrong in so many instances that it was hard to even begin to come back with the facts," Tucker said.

He said the legislation would not have given lawmakers fatter retirement benefits because politicians elected after 1999 aren't eligible for retirement. He said commentators also spoke of free cars and free health care plans that don't exist.

The duo also defended the proposed raises on the rationale that the Legislature must be a cross-section of the state's populace, not just the wealthy. Tucker said that while recruiting people to run during the last wave of elections, at least a dozen people turned him down on the basis of pay alone, including teachers, lawyers, a dentist and an architect.

"I saw that as a real problem for the state, because we have to have people of all walks of life to serve in the Legislature," he said.
Arnold said he was laid off from his bank job in the first week of the legislative session. He said his boss mentioned his long hours as a legislator as one reason he was selected in the round of staffing cuts.

Arnold said he felt justified voting for the raise and that he didn't take it lightly.
"It was definitely the hardest vote I've ever taken in the Legislature," he said, contrasting a somber scene in the House to the Senate's ebullient mood epitomized by the bill's author, Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans, pumping her fist in the air.

Mark Jaunet of Algiers asked Tucker and Arnold what they learned from the process, if they had to do it all over again.
Arnold responded: "I would go to the governor and say, 'Give us a number you can live with. You give us the bill, and we'll run with.' "

Don Costello of Algiers said that plenty of good work done in the session has been overshadowed by the raises. He said the lawmakers just picked a terrible time to broach the subject, given the economy and gas prices. "Thank you for everything you've done," he said, generating vigorous applause.

Tucker agreed that the timing was horrible and said the only palatable avenue might be taking it out of the hands of the Legislature entirely with a constitutional amendment approved by voters. "I can't think of a good time to take up this issue," he said, returning to the difficulty of recruiting worthy lawmakers. "To see the possibility of (the Legislature) not being the best that it can be in the future bothers me."
. . . . . . .
Meghan Gordon can be reached at mgordon@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3785.
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Kostelka, 'I went to [Baton Rouge} to serve not to go broke

Sen. Kostelka who admitted on KNOE that he voted to triple his salary remained defiant in his comments to the NewsStar reporter Greg Hilburn in the aftermath of the Governor’s veto of a bill doubling his salary. Yesterday, before the veto he told a constituent in a telephone call that the Governor was shallow and had no courage. I guess because he knew the Governor was going to veto the bill. He continued in that vain in the interview after the veto.

Can you imagine, here’s a guy who has served one four-year term at the current salary rate plus this year’s chair’s salary, about $30,000, and over $90,000 in retirement (assuming his appeals court salary was $150,000 and you use his KNOE interview multiplier of 60%) and about $100,000 as a "rain maker" for the Bole’s law firm steadfastly remains unrepentant in defeat. And that does not include what he reported he has in his re-election campaign fund.

“I went to [Baton Rouge] serve not to go broke!” he said arrogantly on KNOE.

I guess (like President Clinton) it all depends on what broke is; but I am confident that a lot of people in his senate district would relish the opportunity to be as broke as Bob Kostelka is!