Legislation granting university boards more control over tuition didn\u2019t make it through this year\u2019s regular session. But House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, says he\u2019s willing to give it another chance in 2014.<\/p>\n
In an op-ed written exclusively for LaPolitics.com, Kleckley wrote that he supports such an initiative because it would bring Louisiana up to the Southern Regional Average.<\/p>\n
In political terms, it would allow legislators to withdraw from the debate. Right now, they have to muster a two-thirds vote to increase tuition.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past, I have supported tuition freedom to raise post-secondary tuition to the Southern Regional Average in Louisiana without the required two-thirds vote of the House and Senate,\u201d Kleckley wrote. \u201cWe are the only state that has the two-thirds vote requirement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, there are strings attached. Kleckley is of the opinion that the authority should only be granted if universities are willing to up their collective game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that we have politically suppressed our tuition, which has been harmful to post-secondary education,\u201d he added. \u201cHowever, while I support tuition autonomy, that authority should only be granted if colleges and universities are willing to provide greater accomplishments in exchange.\u201d<\/p>\n
But before he\u2019s willing to lead the charge, Kleckley wants \u201cone loud, clear, unified voice\u201d from university heads around the state. In an earlier interview, Kleckley said he had already contacted Dr. F. King Alexander, president of the LSU system; Dr. Ronald Mason, president of the Southern system; Dr. Sandra Woodley president of the UL system; and Jim Purcell, commissioner of higher education, to tell them he\u2019d be the point man on a bill next session if they got together on the specifics.<\/p>\n
In his op-ed, Kleckley also left the door open for possible changes to the TOPS scholarship program in 2014. \u201cWe must continue to protect TOPS and reward students who work hard and give them the ability to get a quality higher education,\u201d he wrote. \u201cAt the same time we must find a way to better manage TOPS to make sure it is financially sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
PAC Money Could Buoy\u00a0Tea Party Favorite<\/strong><\/p>\n A great deal of media coverage has focused on the fact that the Senate Conservatives Fund overlooked Congressman Bill Cassidy in order to endorse fellow Republican Rob Maness. But the real story could be the amount of money that could potentially be steered to the tea party favorite.<\/p>\n The fund\u2019s Super PAC has collected more than $5.6 million for current cycle, with $2.1 million generated in September alone. It spent more than $1 million supporting Republican Ted Cruz of Texas in his successful Senate campaign last year.<\/p>\n Should Maness, a retired Air Force colonel from Madisonville, who has reported raising $100,000, manage to capture any real momentum or draw serious press coverage, those familiar with the Super PAC say a six-figure injection isn\u2019t unlikely \u2014 especially with 3,300 financial supporters living in Louisiana.<\/p>\n Whether the endorsement can help him overtake Cassidy as the prime challenger is another matter. But it would be a notable achievement in his campaign.<\/p>\n Both candidates are hoping to overcome the re-election of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, a New Orleans Democrat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fundraising For Cassidy\u00a0Has Two Faces<\/strong><\/p>\n The fundraising gap in the U.S. Senate race between Landrieu and Cassidy isn\u2019t getting smaller, and is actually larger than reported.<\/p>\n The most recent quarterly campaign finance reports show the incumbent Democrat from New Orleans with $5.8 million cash on hand, compared to Cassidy\u2019s $3.4 million.<\/p>\n But of Cassidy\u2019s sum, $148,100 was raised for, and can only be spent on, a December runoff election. Landrieu can spend all the money raised so far in the November 2014 primary.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t look like a lot on paper, but he\u2019s basically maxing out or starting to max out certain donors,\u201d said a campaign operative. Such a development bolsters the candidate\u2019s overall totals in the much-watched money race.<\/p>\n In addition, Cassidy transferred $2.4 million from his House account in June \u2014 something else that propped up his second quarter filing.<\/p>\n Campaign observers question the need for holding back money for December. \u201cIf this goes into a December runoff, this will be the last runoff in the country,\u201d said one. \u201cThere will be a lot of eyes on the race, so I\u2019m not sure what\u2019s behind this strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cassidy campaign declined to comment on the inner workings of the congressman\u2019s fundraising, but he\u2019s leading his challenger peers nationwide, according to a new breakdown from Washington, D.C. newspaper Roll Call.<\/p>\n Among Republican Senate candidates who are non-incumbents in other states, Cassidy ranks first for his campaign account total. That set of candidates includes Republicans running for open seats as well. Cassidy even has more money in the bank than a few incumbents.<\/p>\n However, when it comes to the $685,000 raised during the third quarter, Cassidy ranks sixth among Republicans who are challenging incumbents next year.<\/p>\n Landrieu, meanwhile, raised $1.3 million and spent $432,000 during the most recent quarter.<\/p>\n The other Republican, Maness, had a burn rate in the third quarter, raising $58,000, spending $68,000 and leaving $16,000 in the bank.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dems To Target\u00a0North Louisiana<\/strong><\/p>\n Sources inside the state Democratic Party tell LaPolitics that a win in next year\u2019s 6th Congressional District is \u201cinsurmountable,\u201d and that focusing on U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu\u2019s re-election is only half of the strategy for the 2014 cycle.<\/p>\n The other half can be found in the piney woods of north Louisiana, where Democrats are hoping they can pick off two GOP incumbents in the 4th and 5th congressional districts.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a tall order, to be certain, especially after the thrashing Democrats took in the recent 5th District primary.<\/p>\n Party leaders have been fielding complaints in the primary\u2019s wake that the field wasn\u2019t cleared for a lead candidate in that race, which now has an all-Republican runoff, and that more wasn\u2019t done to support the Dem contenders who did qualify.<\/p>\n For now, party leaders say they are refocusing efforts and implementing a \u201cpeople first\u201d game plan that will be driven by statistics and will seek to energize the party\u2019s base.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not going to be the old Democratic Party, where decisions are made in smoke-filled rooms,\u201d said one party official. \u201cWe are going to focus on data and numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n That not only means capturing the seat that will be taken by a Republican next month in northeast Louisiana, but also bringing a fight to incumbent Congressman John Fleming, R-Minden, whom Democrats targeted in 2012 before hitting a political brick wall.<\/p>\n While no names have surfaced as of yet, the party is keen on pointing out that Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover is term-limited \u2014 even if he isn\u2019t necessarily the top choice of Dems in the region.<\/p>\n The endgame may be all about Landrieu, who will need to do well in north Louisiana for her expected win in voter-rich New Orleans proper to truly matter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blueprint Gearing Up For \u2018Bold\u2019 Effort<\/strong><\/p>\n Lafayette attorney Clay Allen said the good government group Blueprint Louisiana, for which he serves as secretary-treasurer, is preparing to unleash an aggressive reform campaign targeting the 2015 election cycle. \u201cIt will be bold and we will be out in force,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n Blueprint\u2019s board of directors is in the research phase of the effort. They intend to focus on fiscal issues and funding for higher education.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in a quiet period right now, but we\u2019ll be making grassroots presentations next year and educating the public,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n The group\u2019s bipartisan PAC will play a central role, he added, as it did in 2007 when more than $1.6 million was spent to help elect a majority of the House and Senate.<\/p>\n Blueprint, in its last go-around, asked candidates to sign a contract backing its priorities; the PAC spent money to promote those who vowed support.<\/p>\n \u201cWith reform fatigue taking hold, right now the state really needs some help from a nonpartisan group interested in advocating real changes,\u201d Allen said. \u201cWe want to help create the political will.\u201d<\/p>\n Allen said Blueprint is under new leadership with the election of Dr. Phillip Rozeman of Shreveport as chairman.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They Said It\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t endorse many politicians. But Chris Christie is different.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Shaquille O\u2019Neal, in a campaign ad for the New Jersey governor.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know yet and I think it\u2019s too early.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Gov. Bobby Jindal on running for president, on Fox News.<\/p>\n \u201cIt should be a great thing. But it just takes one stumble to make it all look bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, on the controversial program that allows legislators to award scholarships to Tulane University.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was probably the catalyst for me getting involved in politics.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, on his time as president of the LSU student body.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Maginnis and Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.<\/em><\/p>\n Legislation granting university boards more control over tuition didn\u2019t make it through this year\u2019s regular session. But House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, says he\u2019s willing to give it another chance in 2014. In an op-ed written exclusively for LaPolitics.com, Kleckley wrote that he supports such an initiative because it would bring Louisiana up to [&hellip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":449,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[98,96,95,63,97,62,99,32],"yoast_head":"\n