Louisiana Voice

A few more facts emerged about the sudden rise of former State Rep. Jane Smith (R-Bossier City) from defeated state senate candidate to undersecretary of the Department of Revenue and finally, to the secretary’s office itself.

For those who have been riveted to the NBA playoffs, the College World Series or the reprise of Dallas on network television, what transpired over the past few days was that Gov. Piyush Jindal was alerted to a possible fiscal disaster over a bill he signed into law back in 2009 and decided something had to be done.

Of course, whenever anything occurs in this state that reflects badly on Jindal, it is always someone else who pays the price. That’s just the way the petulant little man does things—like a spoiled toddler pitching a tantrum in Wal-Mart.

As directed by the act signed by Jindal pursuant, incidentally, to a bill authored by Smith herself, Revenue Secretary Cynthia Bridges issued an emergency ruling listing vehicles eligible for tax rebates of up to $3,000 on the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles.

The Legislative Fiscal Office initially projected a five-year cost of $900,000 but upon the introduction of flex fuel vehicles following passage of the act, that estimate soared right into the stratosphere, to $100 million.

The most obvious reaction to this situation was widespread panic which in turn resulted in the only logical solution: throw someone under the bus.
That someone, of course, was Bridges, who has served three different governors over her 12 years as the head of Revenue.

But here’s the real kicker and some really bizarre irony.

Jindal almost immediately named Smith as her successor.

What are Smith’s qualifications for the position? Good question.

She lost her senate race last fall despite a $2,500 contribution from Jindal.

Almost immediately, she was offered the position of deputy secretary of an office for which she had zero background.

And when Bridges “resigned” last Friday, Jindal moved at warp speed in naming Smith to the post, a pretty good indication that she was being groomed to replace Bridges at the first convenient opportunity. The alternative fuel tax credit fiasco gave Jindal that opportunity. The ink was still wet on Jindal’s announcement of Smith’s appointment when Bridges stepped down, no doubt given a hard shove on her way out the door.

Jindal said those who have already received their tax credits will not be penalized but for those whose amended returns are still pending, the jury is still out. One must wonder why there would be any question since the amendments were filed at a time when the law was still on the books.

But back to that appointment of Smith to the $107,500 per year deputy secretary’s post in January, an appointment that rivals several other questionable appointments—most notably that of former State Rep. Noble Ellington (R-Winnsboro) to the second in command position at the Department of Insurance at a salary of $150,000 per year. Even as he was being appointed, Ellington admitted he had no experience or background in insurance.

No matter. Both Smith and Ellington were members in good standing of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and Ellington had just completed a year as national president of the model legislation-writing organization. Last August, Ellington hosted ALEC’s national convention in New Orleans at which time the organization awarded Jindal with its coveted Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award for outstanding public service.

After that heady experience, what else could Jindal do but put the two up for fat positions at six-figure salaries while he simultaneously tried to gut retirement benefits for rank and file, in-the-trenches state employees?

Even Smith, it seems, was baffled at her good fortune.

Following her January appointment as deputy secretary of Revenue (remember, it’s Revenue, not Education), she promptly showed up at an education meeting. It wasn’t enough that she presented herself at a function at which her new position had no real authority, but she proceeded to prattle on and on about her lack of qualification and her willingness to help the governor.

“The governor’s office called me back in November and told me a position had opened up in Revenue,” she told bystanders who were understandably aghast.

“I told them I didn’t know a thing about revenue, or taxation, or nothing like that but they said not to worry about that, to come on by and discuss it anyway,” she bubbled.

“I’m standing there thinking, ‘Lady, you need to shut up,'” one observer who witnessed her gushing said.

“So they offered me the job even though I don’t know a thing about revenue,” Smith continued. “So I’m just doing everything I can to assist the governor promote his agenda and that’s why I’m here (at an education meeting) today—to help the governor with his agenda.”

And that apparently is her mission as Secretary of Revenue: to help the governor with his agenda.

And that apparently is also the way things are done in this administration.

They should be very happy together.