Why are you running and what makes this YOUR TIME?
I have prepared myself for this challenge my entire time in public service. Having chaired the Senate Finance Committee and served as Secretary of State and Lt. Governor, I have proven that the right leader can do more with less. We in Louisiana are blessed to live in a state with God-given resources more plentiful than most; a place with culture, traditions and assets that make us a unique slice of Americana and a place that has been afforded opportunity after opportunity…only to see them squandered by mismanagement, scandal, corruption, poor policies and personal ambition. I want to bring all Louisianians, north, south, east and west, black and white, rural and urban, Republicans, Democrats and Independents, those of all faiths and economic status, together to make sure Louisiana reaches its potential and, once and for all, seizes, not squanders, the opportunity that awaits us. I love our state and know that with honest, open and transparent leadership, our best days are ahead.
2. What do you perceive to be the biggest obstacles to you winning?
Nothing
3.How much do you expect to raise in funds?
Enough
4. Is there a PAC supporting you? If so how much will it raise? Do you believe PACs are good for politics?
It is illegal for campaigns to coordinate with outside political action committees. I believe SUPERPACS pose a danger to campaign finance laws and actually could result in the inability of states to limit amounts given to campaigns.
5. Who do you expect to face in a run-off? And how will you defeat them?
I expect to face whoever finishes second in the primary.
6. You are aware current budget facing Louisiana. If you were governor now, how would you fix it? Raise taxes? Which ones? Cut? Where? Specifics.
No matter what they say, no candidate for governor can wave a magic wand to fix the budget challenges which we must now confront. Once and for all, we must create stability in the state’s budget and end the practice of using one-time money to pay for ongoing expenses; we must regain the public’s trust by directing dedicated funds to the purpose for which they were intended; and we must put everything on the table, reviewing and reducing state spending, evaluating tax exemptions, credits and exclusions to insure that taxpayers are getting a positive return on their investment.
I would support a reasonable increase in the tobacco tax, elimination of the inventory tax with an appropriate offset of revenue opportunities for local governments with a vote of the people, a reallocation of Transportation Trust Fund dollars and an increase of the Rainy Day fund threshold to $950 million. I believe the recently released Louisiana Tax Study, 2015 sets forth other concrete proposals which I would support including reducing the personal and corporate income tax rates and eliminating certain exclusions, exemptions and credits.
7. You support higher education, but can we sustain all 14 four-year campuses (Ohio, for example, only has 13 with 2.5 times our population) and community colleges too? What would you do differently?
Yes, I think we must sustain all four-year campuses. This is not the system that should have been created in Louisiana but the institutions all have value if their mission can be better coordinated with appropriate but not excessive funding. I authored the legislation creating the Louisiana Community and Technical College system and believe it was long overdue and must be adequately funded because of its key role in preparing Louisiana for the job opportunities that await us in the future. Education is the life blood of opportunity. We need to insure that our children are prepared to tackle the challenges of the 21st century and properly trained for the careers which are now in Louisiana’s pipeline. Higher education is a top priority and it will be funded as such.
8. Much of the budget is dedicated in the Constitution. Do you plan to change that? Would you call a constitutional convention?
We must separate our wants from our needs by setting priorities and funding the most critical areas of state government. We will do this with unprecedented transparency in the Governor’s office. Across the board budget cuts reward the inefficient and punish the efficient, thereby insuring mediocrity. We will fund government based on priorities. For me, those priorities start with education, transportation and keeping our economy strong. I would encourage the legislature to reconsider the constitutional dedications.
We do not need to call a constitutional convention.
9. Do you believe we need to reform the pension/retirement program for state workers? How?
Yes. We must reform the state retirement systems. We cannot change the existing plan for current employees but we should transition to a defined contribution or modified plan for new state employees.
10. Is coastal erosion a top priority for you?
It has been since my days in the Senate. I authored the constitutional amendment that requires 20% of any future tobacco settlement sale to be directed to fund the state’s Master Plan. I also have chaired two initiatives for America’s Wetland Foundation, Building Resilient Communities and The Big River Works.
We are on track to receive huge sums of money from the federal government to implement the legislatively approved Master Plan to save our coast, America’s wetlands. Funds from BP fines, the Restore Act and other federal legislation which we all expect our congressional delegation will deliver, despite the President’s misguided effort to remove these funds from the federal budget. I will ask Louisiana businesses and our citizens to contribute to a foundation dedicated to providing additional funds to address the challenges confronting Louisiana’s fragile coastline.
11. Would you expand Medicaid?
Not under current Obamacare rules, but I would immediately establish a group of bipartisan experts on health care to design a waiver proposal for submission to CMS. This was never properly considered because the governor made it clear from the outset that he would not accept the money under any circumstances. Accordingly, careful scrutiny has not been given to how a proposed waiver could be devised that would provide adequate services and protect the state from future exposure if Obamacare was repealed, modified or if federal funds were not forthcoming.
12. Will you support being a high-speed rail to New Orleans from Baton Rouge:
I have followed closely the work being done by the cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and would consider supporting high or moderate speed rail if I become convinced that it is cost effective and sustainable.
13. Did you vote for Barack Obama or Mitt Romney? Mary Landrieu or Bill Cassidy?
Mitt Romney and Bill Cassidy.
14. Who did you support in the last gubernatorial race?
Like the vast majority of Louisianians, I supported Governor Jindal in 2011 and like most of them I’ve been disappointed in the results.
15. Where do you stand on (for or against):
Fracking? For
Common Core? For
Tax credits? Depending on the return on investment
Cigarette tax? For
Inventory tax? Against
Charter schools? For
Vouchers? For
16. What do you think the nation’s image of Louisiana’s brand is today? Is it better? What do you want it to be? And how will you accomplish that?
As lieutenant governor, I have worked every day to improve the nation’s image of Louisiana and to promote the “Louisiana: Pick Your Passion” brand which I created. Some of us have worked hard to change the perception of Louisiana as a corrupt state. We need a governor who will maintain that improved image and will serve with integrity. We need a governor who will make Louisianians proud that he is their leader.
17. What was the last book you read?
Jerry Lee Lewis: My Story by Rick Bragg. I am in the middle of The Churchill Factor by Boris Johnson.
18. Who is your hero?
My younger brother.
19. Who is your mentor?
In law, it was Judge Frank J. Polozola and my partners, Johnny White, Huntington Odom and Bob Kennon. In politics, it was two of my colleagues in the Louisiana Legislature—the late Sen. John Hainkel and former Sen. Randy Ewing.
20. How would you grade yourself as an elected official?
A
21.What’s one misperception your critics have of you?
I am too buttoned-downed.
22. What fact would folks be most surprised to learn about you that most don’t know?
Dale Brown asked me to walk-on the LSU basketball team in 1972. Unfortunately, I didn’t.
