by Sam Winston

Editor of the Weekly Standard and New York Times Columnist William Kristol, also a well-known neo-conservative pundit, has this column up today titled “McCain-Jindal?“

The speculation on Jindal, initially only a Rush Limbaugh-driven rumor, just won’t seem to die as John McCain keeps waiting to make his pick for a vice-president running-mate. This despite that most commentators have premised their mention of Jindal by saying he was probably too inexperienced. Jindal himself tried to quell the rumors but that was three months ago before Kristol’s column today in which Kristol cites at least 4 McCain aides informally mentioning Jindal for consideration and before McCain came to New Orleans and met with Jindal personally. For Kristol’s quotes on Jindal and further speculation on why Jindal’s name keeps getting mention, see below the fold. Read the rest of this entry »

by Alejandro de los Rios

Some context: Seeing as how I rarely have anything to ask about the actual games being played, I try to limit myself in press conferences to just one question towards the end. My reasoning is that other people who get paid much more money than me to do this every day certainly deserve priority. The playoffs magnify this self-imposed restriction thanks to the policy that every reporter must ask their question into a microphone for television purposes.

But after Saturday night’s game, I casually raised my hand after Greg Popovich’s opening remarks and found myself first in line. A bit nervous, I asked what a kind of broad — and maybe a bit naive — question about the crowd and how they compared to the rest of the league and to games earlier in the season.

“That’s not part of my job,” he said about comparing fans. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Jeremy Alford

A Terrebonne lawmaker contends prosthetic products are being sold by unsavory characters across Louisiana, sometimes from the back of a truck, which is why he wants the state to buy only from accredited facilities. Hundreds of companies and health-care providers sell prosthetics or offer orthotic services in Louisiana, and some are acting fraudulently, says Rep. Damon Baldone, D-Houma. Four dozen unaccredited Florida medical equipment suppliers were busted several years ago for allegedly billing Medicare for 21,000 artificial limbs that were neither medically necessary nor provided to Medicare beneficiaries. The cost to taxpayers was estimated at about $122 million. Now it’s happening in Louisiana, Baldone says, often at the hands of out-of-state, fly-by-night companies. He says his House Bill 799 would end the abuse by imposing $2,500 penalties and forcing unaccredited companies to reimburse the state for illicit sales. The House passed Baldone’s measure unanimously. Health-care issues involving prosthetics have become a hot issue this year. The House recently passed House Bill 318 by Rep. Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, calling for insurance companies to cover the costs of purchasing and servicing artificial limbs. Kleckley’s measure sets a maximum cost of $50,000 per limb. It is opposed by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, which contends the measure is a government mandate for health insurance companies. 

By: Allen Johnson

The Louisiana Board of Ethics let stand fines against 10 elected officials for late filings of campaign reports — despite waiver requests in nine of those cases. Among area officials, the state board refused to waive a $600 fine against Jefferson Parish School Board member Karen Barnes for a 2002 campaign report filed 12 days late. The board also declined to waive a $40 fine against Harahan City Council member Cindy Murray, whose 2006 campaign filed a report one day late. Tangipahoa Parish Council District 6 member Ronald Bankston, whose 2007 campaign filed a report 78 days late, saw his fine drop from $400 to $160 after the board acknowledged notification “issues.” But the panel declined to waive a $400 fine against Plaquemines Parish Councilmember Brent Chauvin. Of the 10 cases, only Hammond Mayor Mason Foster did not seek a waiver. He owes $400 for a 1998 campaign report filed 10 days late.

By: Jeremy Alford

The Louisiana Entertainment Industries Association, a trade group representing everyone from studio heads and producers to actors and grips, wants the state to put reasonable limits on the industry’s much-ballyhooed tax incentives — but not solely at the expense of producers. Louisiana Economic Development scheduled a public hearing on the production and infrastructure tax incentives to get input on proposed changes to the program. LEIA leaders say they oppose any effort to force producers to make all related expenditures prior to the end of 2008 to qualify for the infrastructure credits. The group also wants to make sure that hotel rooms do not qualify for the infrastructure tax credit. (Former state Rep. Gary Beard, R-Baton Rouge, was criticized last year for seeking millions in tax credits for a production studio project that included a $115 million hotel and a $128 million condo development.) LEIA also opposes any move to make applicants pay for the cost of additional audits once the tax incentives are granted. More than anything else, the group says it’s time for clear guidelines so that the state as well as producers know what to expect.

By: Jeremy Alford

“How many kids will we be able to put to work with this bill, and will it finally make us competitive with Indonesia?” That was the politically incorrect query from Rep. Walt Leger, III, D-New Orleans, who satirically asked about legislation that would allow parents to employ their 12-year-old children in the family business. Under current Louisiana law, the minimum age at which a minor can be gainfully employed is 14. Federal laws, which the proposed bill mirrors, permit a 12-year-old to work in his or her parents’ business under certain circumstances.

By: Jeremy Alford

As painful as it might be for some, filing your state income tax return could soon take on a sense of purpose — if lawmakers approve a special check-off box for coastal restoration donations. You already have the option, when filling out your individual income tax return, to donate all or part of your refund to military families, scholarship funds, animal-related programs, cancer trusts, housing initiatives and community-based health-care funds. Senate Bill 697 would create another check-off box for contributions to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund, which is used to bankroll a variety of projects ranging from freshwater diversions to barrier island maintenance. While it’s difficult to estimate how much support taxpayers might put into the fund, it would be required by law to bring in at least $10,000 annually over a two-year period to remain on tax forms. Otherwise, it would be taken off. As for costs to the Louisiana Department of Revenue, it’s allowed by the legislation to take as much as 20 percent of all donations to put toward data processing, accounting and other functions. If passed, the law would take effect Jan. 1, 2009 — just in time for your 2008 tax returns.