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We have heard it before. The arts don’t just improve our quality of life and the learning experience for children in school; they also are a recruitment tool for economic development. Executives who are looking for a new location want to know what is available in terms of culture and entertainment for themselves, their employees and their families.

Each year, the Community Fund for the Arts conducts a campaign to benefit 14 member agencies. This year’s goal is $700,000. A growing capital city can certainly achieve that mark. Your contribution to the CFA campaign will benefit: The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, Baton Rouge Gal-lery, Baton Rouge Little Theater, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, The DeBose Festival and National Piano Competition, The Foundation for Historical Louisiana, Friends of Magnolia Mound Plantation, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Louisiana Sinfonietta, Of Moving Colors Productions, Playmakers of Baton Rouge, Swine Palace Productions and WRKF-FM.

Derek Gordon, executive director of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, has provided new energy and ideas for our community. He deserves our support in building the arts in our region and the CFA is a key to that happening.

I encourage you to support the 2008 CFA Campaign by calling 344-8558 or going online to pledge at brcfa.org.

Support lower taxes

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s second special session is now under way, and lowering taxes and spending the surplus is at the forefront. The lower taxes on business will spur investment and expansion and make our state more competitive.

Much of the surplus is being spent on infrastructure—roads and ports—and that is critical for economic growth [not to mention quality of life for those who have to drive on our roads]. In addition, $50 million is being invested into the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a world-class facility, which can pay dividends for years. This was an outstanding decision.

Finally, legislators will be discussing a tax deduction for parents who send their children to private or parochial schools or homeschool them. With all the taxes most pay into the public schools and don’t use, they deserve the break.

And please don’t listen to the lame excuses or whining from the teacher unions. Hey, I’m tired of that same old, same old. Give me a break.

Coverage of schools

Less than a week before we went to the polls to vote on renewal of the school taxes, the state Department of Education released its performance scores for each district. Zachary ranked No. 1 for the third straight year, but the EBR system declined and was ranked 51st out of 61. The story didn’t run on the front page of The Advocate, but on page 10A.

The day after scores were released last year, a story appeared on the front page about the district scores.

I wondered: With The Advocate editorial board having taken an opinion in favor of the school taxes the previous Sunday, and the election just days away, did that influence their decision as to how to treat the bad news regarding declining scores for EBR? I asked Advocate executive editor Carl Redman for an official response, and he said burying the story was “not linked to the editorial position of The Advocate.”

Redman says the story was among those discussed by the paper’s editors for placement on the front page, but ultimately they decided other stories were more important. “As a group, we simply felt that a somewhat different analysis of the impact of rising oil prices was of greater reader interest than the school district scores. We felt that way because the latest scores and rankings hadn’t changed much from the last batch.”

OK, just checking.

Participation makes difference

In its editorial after the special session on ethics, the Times-Picayune wrote, “Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Legislature dealt the infamous Louisiana Way a substantial blow with the historic reforms coming out of the special session on ethics … None of this could have happened without Louisianians actively and strongly advocating for reform. … Civic and good government groups responded with a strong lobby for reform. And many citizens contacted lawmakers to essentially urge them to do the right thing—or else.”

People and organizations make a big difference when they choose to become involved instead of being spectators. That can come in the form of testifying before a committee, calling or e-mailing your legislator, writing a letter to an editor or conducting a media campaign.

This past session, groups such as Blueprint, CABL, PAR, LA Ethics 1, Believe in Louisiana and many others were involved. Some wonder, “Why so many groups?” but each has a role. I encourage you to become involved as an individual taxpayer or by joining one of these organizations. You can say, “I’ll do that later,” but the opportunity for change is now. And if you don’t do it, who will?

Moret vs. Peterson

It seems Rep. Karen Carter Peterson is upset about the governor paying Stephen Moret a higher salary than his predecessor. In the new budget, Moret would be paid $320,000, about $75,000 more.

Peterson responded in committee, “I have to admit, this salary—it’s just offensive to me.” Facts are, Moret would be making $493,500 this year at the Baton Rouge Chamber—and that’s because he is extremely talented and gets results. He doesn’t just yak, yak, yak to hear himself talk, he gets things done. And the truth is, he will prove to be worth two or three times what the state was paying Mike Olivier.

Louisiana must compete in the big leagues-—and it takes major-league talent. Moret fits the bill and is worth paying. If you (Peterson) can’t understand this, you should go back to the minors and run for the New Orleans City Council.

Drawing the road map

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation is launching a new project called “Baton Rouge CityStats” which is intended “to provide a road map for community improvement, telling us where we’ve been, how far we’ve come and where we need to go.” I like the idea and believe we should track progress.

The intent is to measure about 60 statistical indicators each year to reveal the quality of life in East Baton Rouge Parish. To help choose the indicators, open meetings will be held on March 20, April 22 and May 13. You can get more info and RSVP for the meetings by going online to BRAF.org and clicking the CityStats link. Plan to attend and help design the road map.

Kudos to Metro Council

Hats off to the Metro Council for its bold action recently in naming some new faces to local boards and commissions. After several deferrals, the council elected Bettsie Miller and Verge Ausberry to the BREC Commission, replacing Hal Butt and Darrell Glasper. It also named Donald Browning and Jamie Griffin to a pair of newly created seats on the Library Board.

Congratulations to these new members. It proves there are many qualified people willing to serve.