As Gov. Kathleen Blanco and the Legislature wind up another session and enter the final months of their four-year terms, unfortunately they won’t be able to celebrate “getting off the bottom of one of those bad lists” that they all talk about during campaigns.
Last week, Louisiana ranked 49th (thanks to West Virginia) on Forbes’ Best States for Business list. We were 50th last year. Mississippi was No. 43, up five spots from 48th last year.
Baton Rouge Area Chamber President Stephen Moret said the signing of House Bill 505, which eliminates the unorthodox sales tax on business utilities and natural gas, would have an immediate positive effect on several of the categories used in the rankings. “That’s something that literally the governor could do today,” he said.
Factors affecting the individual category rankings, according to Forbes, included: cost of labor, energy, taxes, educational attainment, net migration, projected population growth, regulatory and tort climate, incentives, transportation and bond ratings.
Also reflected was our job, income and gross state product growth as well as unemployment, presence of big companies, business openings/closings, venture capital investments, schools, health, crime, cost of living and poverty rates.
We have to make some drastic changes—and that’s a lot to tackle for the next governor and new crop of legislators. Who those folks will be is up to you, the voters, this fall. Thanks to term limits, we have an incredible opportunity to change the players. We know many are trying to evade the voters’ intent of “legislative term limits” and just move from the House to the Senate or vice versa. A warning to voters: If you send back many of the same legislators—just in different chambers—do you really expect anything will change on those “bad lists?”
Slush plus
Just when we were thinking the days of the urban and rural development “slush funds” in the state budget were over, the items in each show back up as line items in various departments. And what’s worse? I have been told by folks in several state departments that if you total all the items stuffed in the budget and hidden away in various departments, the amount far exceeds the past amount in the “slush funds.” The Queen Bee has created “Slush Plus”—the honey that makes all legislators happy.
It’s a little late
July 16 marks the end of a failed experiment, which destroyed our public schools. Not that there weren’t reasons for the initiative—and injustices in the system—but the cure ended up killing the patient and the visible benefits are few.
East Baton Rouge public schools have more money than they have ever had and their student body has declined substantially—from 67,000 students in 1979 when Judge John Parker took over the case—to about 45,000 students today. The racial make-up then was majority white and now is about 15% white, mostly in the magnet and gifted program.
Ironically, as the court order comes to an end, the U.S. Supreme Court just ruled that school attendance cannot be assigned based on race. It’s a little late for EBR.
The fact is schools should be for education, not social experiments. The experiments failed. And they should not be “job machines” for the local unions either. They should be focused on serving the customers—children and their parents—period. (Competition would help that happen.) Our schools still haven’t passed that test and our community suffers for it.
A missed opportunity
As I ride down Corporate Boulevard, I remember when the matter of where to locate the Center for Advanced Microstructures & Devices came before the LSU Board of Supervisors. I was a member of the board at the time and studied the issue of CAMD being the anchor of a university-related research park—a hot trend at the time. The key to success was the affiliation with the university and controlling the property. I opposed placing CAMD on Jefferson Highway because of a concern that the private property adjacent to CAMD could ultimately end up being used for apartments or a shopping center, and our land for a “research park” would be gone.
The board was swayed by then-Mayor Tom Ed McHugh, who told us that he would ensure this park project moved forward on this site and promised the city would build the roads in the park. The board voted to proceed. Despite what happened inside CAMD, nothing happened outside.
Have you driven by CAMD lately? It’s been 15 years since the board voted. You’ll find the massive synchrotron tucked between Towne Centre, the new Marriott Residence Inn and Suites and a large apartment complex being built. Not your typical research park tenants. What a shame.
Good point
We will hold some very important elections this fall. In fact, we have several tax elections this Saturday (July 21). I received an e-mail recently from a reader who raised an interesting question.
Gregory Ducote wrote, “As I sat this morning, drinking my first cup of coffee and watching an early morning ‘snews’ program, there was a piece on the new (Apple) iPhone and how long so many people were waiting for these things, camping out, etc. A question dawned on me: How many of these same people ever waited 3 hours or camped out to vote?”
Salute to the Top 100
The Top 100 issue is always one readers look forward to—and our top seller on newsstands. These private companies contribute significantly to our regional economy, employment and community as a whole. They are led by some of Baton Rouge’s best CEOs. They and their employees are to be commended for their success.
Just because our list stops at 100 doesn’t mean we don’t recognize the valuable contributions of No. 101 or No. 1,000 or even the new entrepreneur just getting started. We cover businesses year-round, small and large. Baton Rouge wouldn’t be in the strong position it is as Louisiana’s most vibrant region without the contributions of each and every one. Each is to be commended for taking risks every day and leading the way. Thank you.
Need leaders who can see
“The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.”
—Marcel Proust
Countdown to 25th
It’s always fun to celebrate milestones in the community or your business. As I have announced, we are counting down the last 70 days until we showcase 25 years of business in the Capital City in a special glossy anniversary issue. There is much that has happened since we published our first issue in 1982. Watch for it coming to you on Sept. 25.
In addition, mark your calendar now for Oct. 17 and 18 for the 25th anniversary of our business-to-business trade show, BIZ TECH EXPO, at the River Center in downtown.
Comments
Posted by DARRELVENTRESS on July 19, 2007 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am in complete agreement with Rolfe McCollister when he expresses his fatigue at Louisiana being last on just about every list where you want to be first. This is indeed an historic opportunity for the good, intelligent, hard working citizens of Louisiana to elect like minded individuals to positions of leadership. Let us hope that the next group of leaders we elect can see fit to focus their efforts and resources on the important issues like failing educational systems, pathetic roadways,ethics reform,economic development,and restoration of hurricane damage. Anyone who followed the last debacle of a legislative session here should have been disgusted by the scheming to preserve pork projects and thinly veiled attempts to desperately hold on to political positions that should have rightfully ended with term limits. Thank heavens they did at least put the chicken fighting tempest in a teacup to bed and we can move past that millstone around the neck of real progress. Everyone I come in contact with seems to share similar concerns, we just need to come together as an electorate and do the right thing.
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