Good for Bobby, and good for Louisiana. I'm looking forward to 4 or 8 years of progress. It is believed that Bobby will inherit a $2BB budget surplus for this fiscal year, and we are in an economic boom swing. As many people may or may not know, Louisiana tends to be counter-cyclical and is one of few states does better when the country at large is in a downturn and worse when things are relatively good (simplification).
Governor Blanco got in a couple of things at the end of her term that escaped mention on EE. These are very important:
1) Insurance. Governor Blanco and Insurance Commissoner Donelon were able to get 5 companies to begin writing coverage in some of the hardest hit areas of southern Louisiana. This should bring in some competition. The grant program gives money to insurance companies who match it plus some and agree to underwrite in devastated areas (somewhat of a complicated forumla, and I don't like tax money going to corporate insurance interests, but it's a start). Here is some information from the governor's website:
http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=3418
2) Economic Development - Louisiana was recently rated #4 in the country by Business Facilities Magazine.
http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=3419
3) Education - Quality Counts has recently ranked education in Louisiana as 21st in the country (vs. the usual 50 or 49). In accountability, we ranked second behind Indiana. We also finished 25th in policy efforts, but unfortunately, 47th in student achievement and 50th in "Chance for Success."
http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=3412
So while welcoming in our new governor, we shouldn't downplay the efforts of the previous administration to get some positives happening on our behalf. We've got a long way to go, but the opporutnities are real. :17:
TPS
Governor Blanco got in a couple of things at the end of her term that escaped mention on EE. These are very important:
1) Insurance. Governor Blanco and Insurance Commissoner Donelon were able to get 5 companies to begin writing coverage in some of the hardest hit areas of southern Louisiana. This should bring in some competition. The grant program gives money to insurance companies who match it plus some and agree to underwrite in devastated areas (somewhat of a complicated forumla, and I don't like tax money going to corporate insurance interests, but it's a start). Here is some information from the governor's website:
http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=3418
2) Economic Development - Louisiana was recently rated #4 in the country by Business Facilities Magazine.
http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=3419
3) Education - Quality Counts has recently ranked education in Louisiana as 21st in the country (vs. the usual 50 or 49). In accountability, we ranked second behind Indiana. We also finished 25th in policy efforts, but unfortunately, 47th in student achievement and 50th in "Chance for Success."
http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=3412
So while welcoming in our new governor, we shouldn't downplay the efforts of the previous administration to get some positives happening on our behalf. We've got a long way to go, but the opporutnities are real. :17:
TPS