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photo by Hannah Reel
Gov. Bobby Jindal signs a check for $1,272,329 for Concordia Parish, Ferriday, Ridgecrest and Vidalia Thursday.
Jindal brings $1.27 million to Concordia Parish
Published Friday, August 21, 2009
VIDALIA — More than $1.27 million changed hands when Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a check in Vidalia Thursday as part of his Louisiana working tour.
The check included $470,414 for storm recovery from hurricanes Gustav and Ike and $491,915 for hazard mitigation.
Rather than recreate the bureaucratic nightmares that dogged recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Jindal said his administration was allowing local communities to lead their own recovery efforts and thus was giving the money directly to local governments.
“This time, we are going to trust our local folks in our local communities to rebuild,” he said. “I don’t think the folks in Concordia Parish should have to go to Baton Rouge to get permission to rebuild.”
The check also included $250,000 for water improvement in the Town of Ferriday, $35,000 to the City of Vidalia to repair an electrical transformer and $25,000 to the Village of Ridgecrest for sewer repairs.
The governor also spoke about statewide priorities, saying he could summarize the single most important issue in three points.
“(Those points are) jobs, jobs and jobs,” he said.
While the answers the federal government has come up with to address the national economy include printing more money, raising taxes and spending more, Jindal said Louisiana was going to do things differently.
“We are not going to try to spend ourselves into prosperity,” he said.
Instead, he said the state was going to and had already begun changing its image by passing tough ethics and public disclosure laws, and dropping certain business taxes.
“When it was expensive to do business here, (businesses) went to other states,” he said. “We got rid of those taxes to give them a level playing field.”
The governor cited the Louisiana Elastomer recycling facility as an example of a company that utilized a new tax credit to get the company up and running and create jobs, and he recognized Vidalia resident Brian Parker as someone who was able to continue to live in Vidalia after losing a job because he was able to find work at LAEL.
The state would also have to have a skilled workforce to be able to compete, he said.
Every year, 15,000 students drop out of school, and every year Louisiana incarcerates 15,000 people.
Jindal said it’s easy to see a connection between the two.
“It is important to encourage each of those (students) to finish high school, and not only that but to go on beyond that,” he said.
But not every student is college-bound, and that is why the state has begun to expand community college and technical education opportunities, he said.
“We’ve got more work to do though, and we will not stop until our state is the top spot in the country for businesses to invest, expand and create more jobs for people.”
Comments
Posted by 000117 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 1:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Now how much of this money will go into the smiley ones POCKETS?
Posted by 000117 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 1:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How many of the real taypayers of Vidalia knew he was coming?
Posted by DuncanPark (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 1:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gov Bobby is an opportunistic loon and always will be.
He makes a big show of turning down the stimulus money,
now takes credit for it as he distributes it.
Sarah & Bobby is 2012...the Democrats' Dream Team.
Posted by SayItRight (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 6:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank goodness for the money, it's needed and Ferriday will have a start to fixing their water problem.
Posted by pollym44 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 6:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So true Duncan Park!! He and Haley Barber grandstanded for the news media on how they would not take the stimulus money. No sooner than the media ops ended for refusing the money, they turn an about face, take it and then grandstand about helping out the people in their states. The real dream team would be Bobby and Haley!!! They have already shown us what kind of leaders they are.!!
Posted by oldenoughtoknowbetter (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess little communities like Monterey, who are always last to get help with restoring power after storms, and get little to no help with clean up, don't need any help. We take care of our own anyway. It just stinks when I think of how much our family pays in state taxes each year. Oh well, living in this lovely little town is benefit enough.
Posted by atlfhs87 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jindal was the main speaker for the Republicans opposing the stimulus money which is greatly needed, especially in Ferriday, due to issues such as the "WATER CRISIS", now you see so many smiling, lets see how their pockets get fatter from the "STIMULUS MONEY", in a few months the papers will be reporting how they ran out of money before the projects were completed, that's because it will go to purchase lake homes and boats, but you REPUBLICANS, wanted nothing to do with the money.
Posted by natchezsouthside (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Piyush, great that you are doling out tax payers' money!
Why don't you give that money BACK to the people directly--it is THEIR money.
You are a FRAUD.
The GOP use to be for FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Piyush you have proven those days are LONG over.
Posted by natchezsouthside (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope Piyush runs in 2012.
All the Dems have to do is point to New Orleans to see what an abject failure Piyush has been in leading the state.
New Orleans is Piyush's Waterloo.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
atl, you beat me to it. Surely, none of these smiling fakes wanted any of this dirty government money.
Posted by 000117 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
atlfhs87: I agree with you. There were some projects in Vidalia that ran out of money and could not be finish on time, but when the projects started there was more than enough to finish. So they pulled money away from the street project.
Posted by southernwoman (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If they had any shame, they would have mailed the check in a plain, brown envelope.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How come the governor can't wear a tie? So unprofessional!
You people can type all you want, but it won't do any good. The common folks voice doesn't matter anymore, only the government voice can be heard now days. Jobs, jobs, jobs huh, in Ferriday??? Paaleeze! They have work except it isn't legal.
Posted by Nationwide (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Author wrote: While the answers the federal government has come up with to address the national economy include printing more money, raising taxes and spending more, Jindal said Louisiana was going to do things differently.
This needs to be put in perspective! The GOP is the reason why! Jindal and the GOP seem to be borrowing ideas from our current government. Building infrastructures create jobs and removing some taxes to draw new industry are things we already now!!!
Author wrote: The governor cited the Louisiana Elastomer recycling facility as an example of a company that utilized a new tax credit to get the company up and running and create jobs.
Where did the new tax credit come from? Our current government it all apart of the new farm bill and energy plan being administer.
Posted by DuncanPark (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just exactly where do some of you complainers think money for cleanup after a storm (and roads and police departments, etc.) is supposed to come from if not from taxes?!
Posted by geauxtigers (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Who cares if the man wears a tie or not. He's not on TV and he is visiting podunk Louisiana standing among real men who work for a living...and giving them money. We are talking about Concordia parish for petes sake...where people wear ripped up jeans and shrimpin boots to weddings. Get over yourself. Can't people just be happy that some improvements might actually be made and have hope that the money will be used where it's needed? These figureheads are just MEN, doing the best they can. And you can't please everyone. It is hard enough just to please ONE! So much negativity I swear. If you can do better then run for office and see how many friends you keep.
Posted by jammin1 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 12:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with that geauxtigers!
I don't mind my taxes going to help Ferriday get clean safe water!
It serves a better purpose than some elected offical keeping his mistress on the side!
As for the joke of New Orleans, why don't I hear anyone rounding on Ray Nagin? If you want the real problem of why it hasn't moved on? Read the following links! Also does anyone else remember reading where Nagin disbanded an Economics Board because there weren't enough black investors willing to put their money into N.O.? So he cited that there wasn't enough diversity in the people willing to put up the money to build businesses in the city, therefore he disbanded the board and pulled out.
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/NewOrleans...
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/...
http://comment-blog.advance.net/cgi-bin/...
Before bashing Jindal on taking the stimulas money you need to get your facts straight. Go read the entire article and take special note of who got the money slipped through(A quiet procedural move by Rep. Avon Honey, D-Baton Rouge)
http://www.katc.com/global/story.asp?s=1...
Override of Jindal on stimulus money advances
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Louisiana Senate will debate overriding the governor's decision to reject $98 million in federal stimulus money to expand unemployment benefits, even as House members decided Wednesday that the state shouldn't accept the money.
The final decision on whether to overturn Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal's choice rests with the majority Democratic Senate, however.
A quiet procedural move by Rep. Avon Honey, D-Baton Rouge, earlier this session got the House to approve accepting the stimulus money, although few members were aware of what they were passing. If senators approve without changes Honey's bill to accept the money, it would go straight to Jindal, who said he would veto it.
Follow the above link and read it for yourselves!
Posted by jammin1 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I did not vote for Jindal, but I have to say he has done more for Louisiana than any other Governor we have had in a very long time.
Posted by 000117 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 1:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How many of the real taxpayers of Vidalia knew he was coming?
If those who didn't know he was coming had taken the time and effort to join and attend Chamber of Commerce meetings of either Vidalia or Ferriday, they would have known.
I think the previous statement also addresses the ones claiming Jindal is grandstanding! How can he grandstand if no one knows he is coming? It takes time to set up for the national media!
If you want KNOW what is going on you have to GET INVOLVED!
As for the Farm Bill!! The original Farm Bill was authorized in 1949. It has just been built on since! Do your homework!
I may have a jaded, cynical view of the our area and some of those that use their office to further their on agendas, but I stay involved and keep up with what is going on.
I knew Jindal was coming because of it! I attended the meeting!
Posted by BigFred (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey wasn't it so great to have the Gov. come to Concordia. The part of his speech about Jesus's birthday being what Christmas was all about was good as well. I wonder if those people that complaine so much, really know how much effort it took our local leaders to have the Gov. come here - not only to speak - but with money allocated for our parish. Our parish-for us to make decissions. Understand that if people do not like current administrations, they can run for office on platforms of improvement. But it is nice to see that the local and state governments are working together for our area. One can take a stand for improvement or a stand of nuisance, your choice. But rest assured the American dream aint gonna fall in your lap and the money provided and/or Gov. just didn't show up.
Posted by Nationwide (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As for the Farm Bill!! The original Farm Bill was authorized in 1949. It has just been built on since! Do your homework!
That's your problem it's not 1949 and the 2008 farm bills is different. There are programs for Minority, Tribal groups, Beginning Farmers and programs that promotes new technology and etc… I suggest you go and read it!!! Looks nothing like the 1949 farm bill!!!
Posted by jammin1 (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nationwide, my reference to the Farm Bill was because you are trying to make out that it is something new and it isn't.
It was started in 1949 and since then it has been built upon, or changed as the years have passed, to address the issues needed at those times!
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey geauxtigers, since I am assuming you are such a huge LSU fan (which is where of course all the pompous, arrogant, aristocrats love to say they graduated from), you know good and well you won't be caught DEAD at a home game with "Shrimpin boots" on. Get over myself huh? Your username implicates you are just another devoted, obsessed MIss Lou LSU fan who probably doesn't even know their way around the campus.
You want to talk about taxes, then lets talk about how LSU receives BY FAR the most amount of state funding while others such as ULM, ULL, Southeastern, and Northwestern have to shut down early on Friday to SAVE electicity due to state funding cuts.
Before you say LSU is such a great university, you may want to consider investigating HOW they became that.
Considering those tax dollars are paid by hard working people such as myself, I can provide any type of comment I want. Governor Jindal isn't a saint, he is re-distributing money that was turned down before to show everyone his ethic morality. He wants jobs huh? Well then why did he cut state departments which left over a thousand state workers without jobs?
All he is doing is pepping up his reputation for the White House, where he will have to wear a tie.
Posted by elvisss (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tie fail.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Man is Glen's head shiny!
Posted by elvisss (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought that was the back of Jindal's head.
Posted by iomo (anonymous) on August 21, 2009 at 5:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And if he didn't come to town and bring money you all would be fussing about that too!
Posted by geauxtigers (anonymous) on August 25, 2009 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah obamayamama and I bet when your mom sits around the house, she REALLY sits AROUND the house
.....since we are making it personal. :) Which is what people do when they have absolutely no leg to stand on in an argument.
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