Louisiana Voice

            The 2010 regular legislative session stumbled to a finish this week with the usual bickering over budget cuts for education and public health and appropriations for legislators’ home districts. Only this year the cuts were deeper in an effort to offset as much as $300 million in deficits which caused the local pork projects to be even more questionable.

            Even as state property was being sold off, agencies privatized, education and health care budgets slashed, and merit increases for state classified employees frozen (because the raises would cost the state $20 million), lawmakers managed to tack on $33 million in amendments to HB-76 to fund pet projects in their districts.

Otherwise known as the ancillary fund, or the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, HB-76 passed both houses without a negative vote, passing 88-0 in the House with 15 absentees, and 37-0 in the Senate with two members not present.

            Those not voting included Reps. James Armes (D-Leesville), Gordon Dove (R-Houma), Noble Ellington (D-Winnsboro), Rickey Hardy (D-Lafayette), Lowell Hazel (R-Pineville), Nita Hutter (R-Chalmette), Chuck Kleckley (R-Lake Charles), John LaBruzzo (R-Metairie), Bernard LeBas (D-Ville Platte), Nick Monica (R-LaPlace), Kevin Pearson (R-Slidell), Erich Ponti (R-Baton Rouge), Gary Smith (D-Norco), Ricky Templet (R-Gretna), and Ernest Wooton (R-Belle Chasse), and Sens. Daniel Martiny (R-Baton Rouge), and Joe McPherson (D-Baton Rouge).

            HB-76, with the $33 million in amendments, includes but is not limited to the following appropriations:

• Nearly $1.5 million on 50 parish councils on aging;
• More than $3.75 million for municipalities and parishes for unspecific purposes;
• Eddie Robinson Museum in Grambling ($20,000);
• Festival and cultural activities ($40,000);
• Louisiana Council on the Social Status of Black Boys and Men ($100,000);
• Greenwell Springs Road Economic Development District ($100,000);
• Louisiana Political Hall of Fame and Museum in Winnfield ($150,000);
• Arts Program for decentralized arts ($750,000);
• Jefferson Performing Arts Society ($210,000);
• Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority ($255,000);
• Livingston Parish for economic development studies for a parish airport ($25,000);
• Vernon Parish Police Jury for fairground cattle fences ($20,000);
• Tioga High School in Rapides Parish ($20,000);
• Ouachita Parish for rehabilitation of J.S. Clark Cemetery ($30,000);
• Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans ($100,000);
• Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, Foster Grandparents program ($40,000);
• East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission ($70,000);
• Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department’s Cops and Clergy Program ($25,000);
• Tipitina’s Foundation in New Orleans ($10,000);
• Construction of an animal shelter in St. Charles Parish ($250,000);
• Animal shelter operations, St. Charles Parish ($50,000);
• Construction of an emergency operations center in St. Charles Parish ($100,000);
• St. Charles Parish Hospital for emergency room equipment ($175,000);
• Gretna Fest ($200,000);
• Heritage Festival in Gretna ($10,000);
• Baton Rouge park improvements ($100,000);
• Terrebonne Parish regional military museum ($20,000);
• Farmers’ and Fishermens’ Market in Westwego ($100,000);
• Westwego Performing Arts Center ($250,000);
• Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum ($5,000);
• New Orleans for workforce development, cultural, and enrichment programs ($300,000);
• Renovation of high school gym in Marksville into a community center ($200,000);
• New Orleans recreational and cultural activities ($75,000);
• Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre in New Orleans ($25,000);
• Louisiana Center Against Poverty, Lake Providence ($150,000);
• City of Alexandria for health care related to sickle cell anemia ($35,000);
• North Iberville Community Center ($50,000);
• DeRidder Area Ministerial Alliance for God’s Food Box ($15,000);
• Doyle High School in Livingston for band equipment ($10,000);

            The appropriations for municipalities and parishes, for the most part, were approved with little or no explanation or justification other than for “infrastructure improvements.”

            Other appropriations amended into HB-76 by legislators were for police and sheriff’s departments, local fire departments, voluntary fire departments, parks, libraries, water and sewer systems, airports, parks, road repair and construction, and non-profit entities.