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With Gov. Kathleen Blanco done screwing up our future with a spending spree that would even make George Steinbrenner blush … and with legislators saying they’re too busy attending a free trip to Boston (thanks, taxpayers!) or plotting their political futures to right some of Blanco’s fiscal wrongs in a veto override session … it’s time to turn our attention to the upcoming campaign season.

Here are some questions for anyone running for governor or the state Legislature. I suggest each of you—before giving your money or your vote—press for answers to the following:

Will you (Mr./Ms. insert name) …

1) put in writing what you believe is the role of state government?

2) approve ethics reform bills that will lift the state’s rankings into the top five in the nation, instead of our current, dismal, bottom-five home?

3) support strong financial disclosure measures for legislators and statewide elected officials?

4) show up at a parish zoning meeting to protest if Wal-Mart wants to build a Supercenter near your home?

5) support a Constitutional Convention to a) overhaul the state’s regressive tax code, b) allow local government to keep a greater percentage of generated tax revenue, thus reducing the need for state dollars going to local projects (wiping out the funding of legislators’ pet projects), and c) eliminate dedicated funding on some budget items while mandating support levels for higher education and health care?

6) allow higher education boards to control tuition, rather than the Legislature, so that institutions can maintain adequate funding levels?

7) support legislation requiring four-year schools to have admission standards that will ensure most admitted students can graduate?

8) acknowledge our higher education system exists to educate students, not provide jobs for constituents?

9) publicly call for Les Miles’ dismissal if the Tigers do not beat Nick Saban and Alabama this fall?

10) encourage the rapid development of our community and technical college system in a way that focuses on business needs, not local politics and (again) jobs for friends and family?

11) either support private school tuition tax credits for middle- and low-income families or take personal responsibility for the pathetic state of Louisiana’s K-12 public education system?

12) eliminate the industrial property tax exemption and dedicate the new revenue to entities like the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and developing a think-based economy?

13) eliminate unorthodox business taxes not charged by other states?

14) agree with this statement: Eliminating bizarre business taxes is more important than increasing the salaries of state workers?

15) vote for a real, long-term financing solution to the state’s transportation problems, even if it requires cutting other parts of the budget?

16) approve the purchase of spinner rims for Cleo Fields’ Leadership Academy buses?

17) support legislation requiring vehicle-related fees and taxes be used to support the development of roads and other transportation infrastructure in the state?

18) agree with this statement: Addressing the state’s crumbling roads is more important than increasing the number of state jobs?

19) approve legislation overhauling the state’s public health care system, favoring one that involves private hospitals where money follows the patient?

20) support a constitutional amendment banning the terms “Louisiana is open for business” and “laissez le business rouler” from ever being uttered or written again—under penalty of impeachment!

Answers:

1) Yes

2) Yes

3) Yes

4) No

5) Yes

6) Yes

7) Yes

8) Yes

9) Yes

10) Yes

11) Yes

12) Yes

13) Yes

14) Yes

15) Yes

16) No

17) Yes

18) Yes

19) Yes

20) Yes