A few months ago, de folks in Sulphur tried to pass a tax to improve de Sulphur High School football stadium. Only 6 percent uf de voters in de taxin’ district turned out to vote, and de measure got beat by two votes.
Dis time around, de shakers and doers in Sulphur had dar act togedder. Day spoke to community groups, had news coverage, had advertisin’ in newspapers an’ on de radio … even yard signs. You might say day ran it like a person runnin’ for political office. Day had dar act togedder an’ it paid off.
Dis time around, de number uf folks who voted doubled an’ de measure passed 1,685 to 796. … or 68 percent for an’ 32 percent against. Now, a 12 percent turnout ain’t nuttin’ to be proud uf, but compared to de 6 percent, it’s a big improvement. In politics, it’s known az gettin’ out de vote. When you consider only 25 percent turn out for big elections, 12 percent ain’t bad.
Meantime, a South Lake Charles measure to improve schools got beat 742 no an’ 697 yes … only 52 votes difference. Only 5.5 percent uf registered voters in dat School Boad district voted. De measure would have provided money for improvements, equipment and repairs at schools in de district, which include Barbe High and Elementary, and Dolby, Prien Lake, S.J. Welsh, St. John and Nelson Elementary.
Maybe if de South Lake Charles group tries to pass de tax again, day gonna call some politicians in dat district to help get de measure passed.
Where’s De Maintenance?
De problem schools like Sulphur High an’ schools in South Lake Charles have faces public bodies trewout our state. Day get a vote to build a buildin’ or buy equipment, but dars no money appropriated for maintenance. An’ day gotta come back for mo money. Sometimes tax payers vote for dat tax an’ sometimes day don’t.
Wouldn’t it mean a better use uf tax dollars if a clause wuz written in de measure to OK de buildin’ or equipment an’ include a part about maintainin’ what’s bein’ voted for? De issue iz, you know it’s gonna get broke, so why not plan for de fixin’ uf what gets broke?
But den again, you talkin’ about de gubment, an’ you know how dem gubment folks tink.
Big Shocker In North Louisiana
Back in August, Congressman Rodney Alexander announced he’d had enough uf Washington politics an’ wuz quittin’ to take a job with de Jindal administration. Fourteen candidates jumped in de race to replace Alexander.
Political experts figured state Rep. Neil Riser, who had de support uf de Jindal camp, would be de next congressman. He made de runoff, leadin’ by 12 percent Monroe bidnessman Vance McAllister. He outspunt McAllister by 200 grand an’ even brought in some Washington heavyweights to say what a nice guy he wuz.
Now McAllister, who iz sed to have mo money dan Carter haz liver pills, spent $800,000 uf hiz own money. In de final days, McAllister put a TV spot on showin’ Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson sayin’ he supported him.
When de dust had cleared, McAllister had boorayed Riser 60 percent to 40. WOW … dem political scientists are still scratchin’ dar heads on dat one. De question iz, iz dis what we gonna see in races next fall when all de congressmen an’ Sen. Landrieu run for reelection?
We should mention dat District 5 is one uf de poorest in our country, an’ iz 60 percent Democrat. But two Republicans make de runoff, an’ an outsider whips a shure shot? Ain’t politics wonderful?
Duncan In. More To Come.
One ting for shore about dis area … dars eider an’ election goin’ on or dars talk about who’s gonna run for de next election. Elections are set for some judgeships in April uf next year, an’ so is de race for mayor uf Sulphur.
Mayor Chris Duncan announced recently he wuz in de race for reelection for a second term. Prior to dat, he’d served on de Sulphur City Council for six years.
One opponent, Clofa Boudreaux, has already announced he’s runnin’ an haz even had a jambalaya fund raiser. Udders are expected to jump in, includin’ former mayor Ron LeLeux, da feller dat Duncan beat to become mayor. Still udders are considerin’ de race.
We’ll keep you posted. You can bet dar will be fireworks before it’s over. Like Huey Long once sed, Dis will be a better show dan de circus.
Gettin’ Ready For De Workforce
A major step wuz taken recently to provide housin’ for de many folks who’ll be comin’ to dis area to work. Groundbreakin’ ceremonies wuz held at a site near Jim Sudduth drive dat will house many uf de folks dat will be workin’ at SASOL an’ udder industries in our area.
Company spokesmen spoke uf a complete facility wit’ medical folks on hand an’ bus transportation to take workers to an’ from de industries.
If you watch de History Channel, you may have seen a story about how folks in South Dakota wuzn’t ready for all de folks dat moved in to work on a pipeline dere. Looks like we won’t have dat problem here.
Big BP Money: Pelican State Gets De Mos’
De Gulf states wuz recently awarded $113 million az part uf de BP spill settlement. Now dis is only a small part uf de $2.5 billion de oil company an’ Transocean wuz fined by de feds. An’ mo money from de National Fish an’ Wildlife Foundation.
But for now, our state got $67.9 uf de $113 million, or better dan half. Our state will use de money to fight coastal erosion, which, az we know, iz hurtin’ fishermen, shrimpers an’ oystermen bigtime.
Mo money from de settlement iz expected in March uf next year. It took time to get dis money flowin’, but you know how it iz when you dealin’ wit’ de federal gubment.
High School Playoffs A Real Jambalaya
Public schools wuz complainin’ a whole bunch dat private schools wuz dominatin’ all de football in our state, an’ dat public schools couldn’t bring home a state championship because uf schools like John Curtis winnin’ every year. Public school officials sed de private schools had better equipment an’ trainin’ an’ better players as a result.
So de Louisiana High School Athletic Assoc. split de schools when playoffs started. As a result, you had small schools dat didn’t even have winnin’ records end up in de playoffs.
Geuydan was 0-9 an’ made de playoffs, but refused to participate. Several udder schools in our area, also wit’ loosin’ records, made de playoffs.
Now dis rule wuz made mostly because uf de principals from de big public schools complainin’. An’ if dars one ting they know sometin’ about, it’s money. An’ de LHSAA iz ruled by de principals, uf which dar are more public school principals dan private school principals.
Now, it’s obvious dis playoff system ain’t workin.’ But dis is de firs’ year uf it bein’ in effect. Wonder what great ideas de principals will come up wit’ at dar next annual meetin’.
Emails From Mary
Considerin’ de election for U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu’s seat iz next October, it’s kinda unusual to already be gettin’ political emails. She an’ Vitter send out emails every week tellin’ you how great a job day are doin’ for de folks in our great state uf Louisiana.
Now, de las’ few weeks, I’ve also been gettin’ an email wit’ a picture uf Mary from about 30 years ago an’ a slogan dat sez “Stand With Mary.” Mind, you already axin’ for money for a race dat’s a year away. But I guess she’s just gettin’ ready for all de big Republican money dat’s gonna be spent against her. Ain’t politics in our state wonderful?
Deep Taughts While Sittin’ In A Cold Duck Blind
10) When are day gonna quit runnin’ dat stupid insurance commercial with dat camel?
9) Who tol’ T-Claude he could fry a turkey?
8) How come I can’t play booray at de casinos around here, but can at de one in Marksville?
7) When are LSU folks gonna start callin’ for Les Miles to go?
6) Will anybody give me de ceegars I want for Christmas?
5) How many uf de folks I know gonna take part in dat pancreatic cancer walk Dec. 7?
4) Will de New Awlins Pelicans basketball team be able to make de playoffs dis year?
3) How come we already seein’ political signs for elections in April?
2) How come some banks are closing branches in our area?
1) How much nog will my brudda- in-law put in dat egg nog drink uf hiz dis year?
Final Shot
I axed my buddy Lefty if he had plans for de holidays. He sed he wuz goin’ to hiz camp at Toledo Bend an’ wuzn’t comin’ back home until Jan. 5, when all de relatives an’ company have left. An’ he added he wuz takin’ plenty uf giggle juice wit’ him up to de camp. Dat Lefty — you jus gotta admire how he gets into de holiday spirit every year.
‘Til next time, lache pas la patate.
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