Louisiana's State Parks Now Joins The News Of Financial Neglect

According to a Times Picayune article of 5/1 by staff writer Greg LaRose Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser suggest that Louisiana sell naming rights to the state parks because those recreation sites are strapped for cash.  Visitation at Louisiana's state parks are up and Nungesser would like to see some of the parks upgraded to handle more overnight visitors.  But Louisiana does not have any revenue designated for the state park system and user fees do not provide enough revenue for upkeep, expansion and etc.

This problem is related to the state's budget and joins a list of other issues that are not funded to meet needed demand.  That should sound familiar to every one.  Selling naming rights is one aspect of privatizing state services.  Jindal did that with several hospitals and we are finding out in the last several weeks it has cost the state more than was projected.  It is the easy way out for elected officials so they do not have to make the hard choices.

The article points out that Bobby Jindal pulled $54 million from state parks in his last 5 years in office according to Nungesser and here is what Nungesser said about that.  I WOULD HAVE BEEN FIST FIGHTING WITH BOBBY IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE GOVERNORS MANSION TO RETAIN THAT MONEY.  Well during that same 5 year period, Nungesser was President of Plaquemine Parish so he had a good opportunity to have that fist fight with Bobby but he choose not too.  So much for tough talk.  Nungesser is the same loud mouth who blamed President Obama for the actions he took after the BP Oil spill.  But, unlike Louisiana officials who have let the Oil industry in Louisiana off the hook for their damage to the environment for the past 40 plus years, Obama held BP accountable.

Some states like Illinois and Texas charges fees and taxes on some sporting goods purchase that goes to operate its state parks.  In other words, they have designated revenue to count on for their state parks while Louisiana does not.  The state parks issue is just another example how Louisiana operates without priorities and does not have a revenue base for recurring expenses, something "PolitiDose" has pointed out in previous commentary.  

More and more it becomes evident how the $8 billion in tax breaks, exemptions, credits and etc., for business has corrupted Louisiana's fiscal house and budgetary process and all because the state legislature have failed to do their job of taking care of the people's business and the state itself.  That is one reason Governor Edwards has told the legislature to focus on those tax exemptions and etc., as a way for the state to increase its revenue base.  Its called tax fairness.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio