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Wednesday, October 03 2007 |
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Storm Protection and Coastal Restoration – Make a true priority in State budgets, regulations, and land use. Ensure District 76 is protected - reduce storm water in Lake Pontchartrain; rebuild marshes, land-bridges and barrier islands; and improve existing levees.
Drainage – Streamline the flow of Federal dollars to local communities. Get our waterways and drainage canals fully cleaned. Get SELA funds to improve the W-14 and W-15 canals and retention ponds.
Transportation – Increase funding. Move transportation taxes and fees to Transportation Trust Fund. Move surplus mineral revenues to coastal restoration and port infrastructure. Return more funds to the local level.
Health Care – Focus LSU’s effort to medical education and research. Fund patients, not just facilities. Customize uninsured care on regional levels. Expand coverage for low income parents. Give patient’s choices. Improve accountability.
Insurance Reform – Continue incentives to entice exiting and new companies to write policies in higher risk areas. Phase out Citizen’s Insurance Corporation. Require stronger structures in high risk areas. Support expanding flood insurance program to include catastrophic wind and earthquake coverage.
Education – Expand pre-kindergarten. Prepare students for college and careers. Reduce dropout rate. Allow more charter schools and more parental choice in school selection. Reform vocational and technical training to build a larger and better qualified work force.
Ethics Reform – Elected official and candidate disclosure of all income, assets, and debts. Prohibit State elected and appointed officials from being lobbyists or doing any business with the State. Detailed and rigorous lobbyist disclosures. Require transparency in governmental actions and spending.
Environment – Develop better regional solid waste disposal with waste reduction. Promote local product development using recyclable materials. Reduce fertilizer, animal waste, and untreated sewage in our waterways. Adopt smart development techniques in future plans.
Reducing State Government – Consolidate separate programs, eliminate duplicate activities. Implement measurable performance standards for programs and bureaucrats. Eliminate ineffective programs. Enable non-profits to provide delivery of more public services. Better control of reprogramming funds.
Tax Reform – Eliminate utility, franchise tax on corporate debt, and the manufacturing, machinery, and equipment tax. Eliminate remnants of the Stelly plan. Provide targeted incentives for research.
Litter Abatement and Beautification – Cleanup our interstate roadways. Increase litter signage on interstates and state roads. Change the litter behavior with grade school educational programs.
Road Home Program – Stop the self-promotion. Streamline the flow of funds to citizens and local communities. Establish a LRA termination date; put remaining tasks in existing offices.
Blue Print Louisiana – Committed to implement plan. Helped develop.
Crime and Public Safety – Add state police in St. Tammany. Add two judges to district court. Increase supplemental pay to attract more and better recruits. Improve code enforcements. Encourage alternate traffic control methods. Increase community service for non-violent criminals.
Economic Development – Streamline regulatory processes. Work to reduce utility costs. Provide a larger and well trained workforce. Require one stop shopping for approvals needed to grow or open a new business. Improve and maintain the transportation system. Establish economic development zones where the proper infrastructure is built first.
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