Recent editorials from Louisiana newspapers:
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Jan. 12
The Courier of Houma on dangerous high waters:
Residents across Louisiana are nervously watching the swollen rivers, hoping that we escape the current conditions with little or no damage to people or property.
The Bonnet Carre Spillway, near Norco in St. Charles Parish, was opened on Sunday, a move that officials hope will alleviate some of the pressure on the Mississippi River’s levees.
But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has decided - for now, at least - not to open the Morganza Spillway closer to our area.
Because that river is not expected to reach the flow rate that would necessitate the opening, the spillway will remain closed.
Still, high water levels in the Atchafalaya River could mean some flooding locally, up to 2 feet in areas of western Terrebonne Parish.
Local parishes and other agencies have already declared states of emergency and have taken steps to prepare for the worst, though it is unlikely the worse will happen.
“This is a project that takes time to put together,” said St. Mary Levee District Director Tim Matte. “You don’t have a chance to wait until the last minute and say, ’OK, maybe we better go do something.’ By that time, it would have been too late.”
Fortunately, our region has the equipment and expertise to handle high water and all the dangers it brings with it.
At the top of the list is communication and cooperation between all the various parishes and levee districts that have to protect the hundreds of thousands of people, homes and businesses of south Louisiana.
The web of waterways that twist across our area travel through different jurisdictions, but each has an impact on all the others. So blocking one waterway in attempt to ward off flooding can cause others to swell and flood.
Closing one structure can cause unintended consequences upstream, so careful, methodical planning and execution are necessary to deal with the periodic threat of high water.
The Mississippi River is at dangerous levels, so the Bonnet Carre is opened. That sends more water into the Atchafalaya Basin, and that river runs the risk of flooding. And so on, down to the smaller waterways that run off the larger rivers and wind eventually to local wetlands and the Gulf of Mexico.
This is a timely reminder of the situation that always exists in our part of the world - the situation that demands an integrated, coastwide approach to flood protection and coastal restoration.
South Louisiana is perilously close to the water. Most of the time, that is a stable condition that we have learned how to accommodate. In times of flooding or high water, though, it is particularly dangerous.
Remember to listen carefully to official warnings and instructions. And follow them.
The water will begin to recede in coming weeks, but the danger is still present.
Online:
https://www.houmatoday.com/
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Jan. 12
The Advocate on Gov. Edward’s political surprises
One of the best political stories of last year was John Bel Edwards’ remarkable rise to the governorship of Louisiana.
But his inaugural day was marked by a reminder that the ascension of a Democratic governor in a Republican state has its political limits.
Rep. Taylor Barras, of New Iberia, a Republican, emerged as a candidate for speaker of the House, besting Edwards’ own pick for the job.
Barras defeated Rep. Walt Leger, of New Orleans, a Democrat, by a vote of 56 to 49. While it remains to be seen what that means in terms of passing legislation, the governor’s inaugural day showed that the political surprises of the Edwards era are not over.
It was the first time the speakership had been contested since 1984 and usually the governor’s man wins. There might be some to-and-fro behind the scenes, but the reality is that the governor’s nominee as speaker would collaborate with the administration on key committee appointments, vital to the passage of legislation.
Leger had said going up to the inauguration that he had a majority locked up. Clearly, his commitments were eroded by a campaign of the Louisiana GOP and conservative organizations for an alternative, originally Cameron Henry of Metairie but ultimately Barras.
That the House immediately re-elected Leger to the largely ceremonial position of speaker pro tempore was perhaps an olive branch but it hardly lessened the shock factor in the State Capitol.
In the Senate, meanwhile, President John Alario, of Westwego, was comfortably re-elected without the roll call vote required in the House. A secret ballot is hardly a reputable way to do anything in a legislative body but there was no serious opposition to Alario this year.
Alario is a Republican but reliably served a former governor named Edwards when a Democrat; the wily veteran of the Legislature is expected to be friendly with the administration in power.
On one level, the same is true of Barras.
As a compromise candidate, a party-switcher five years who ago served two terms with John Bel Edwards, the new speaker and the new governor are on comfortable enough terms.
In most normal states, the legislative leaders are elected by the chambers they lead, not at the behest of the governor. And in those states, the governor and legislative leaders typically find a way to work together to pass budgets and other needed legislation.
That the age-old process of the governor’s anointment has been suddenly discarded is a remarkable event. It’s not likely, though, that Edwards and Barras have forgotten how to work together because of their sudden elevations.
Still, it’s a dramatic difference in the way the House does business, and it is likely to set a precedent for four years from now, when Barras and Alario will be term-limited out of their offices.
Online:
https://www.theadvocate.com/
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Jan. 13
The Times-Picayune on Gov. Edwards working with the legislature
Gov. John Bel Edwards’ inaugural address was upbeat and hopeful, as such speeches typically are. He declared his love for our state and emphasized the need for us all - including legislators - to work together for the good of Louisiana. “Our land is diverse, our ideas are diverse, and our people are diverse,” he said. “From the original Native American inhabitants to the French, Spanish, Acadians and Africans. From the Yugoslavian oyster harvesters to the Sicilian strawberry farmers. Nearly every nation on earth has left its imprint on our culture.”
That diversity is a strength, he said Monday (Jan. 11). “That is why I am confident that regardless of party we can band together to rebuild Louisiana. The status quo is not sustainable,” he said.
It most definitely isn’t.
Louisiana has a projected $750 million deficit for the current budget year and could be $1.6 billion short for the new budget year beginning July 1. Gov. Edwards and lawmakers need to make long-term structural changes to the budget and find a quick source of revenue to balance this year’s books.
That will take collaboration and cooperation and no small amount of backbone.
Even before delivering his inaugural address Monday, Gov. Edwards and the Legislature had their first disagreement.
The governor wanted Rep. Walt Leger, a New Orleans Democrat, to be speaker of the House. Rep. Leger, who has been speaker pro tem, was an excellent choice. But the Republican-dominated House wanted one of its own to be speaker, so they broke with tradition and ignored Gov. Edwards’ wishes.
That could signal a difficult time ahead for the new governor, but it shouldn’t. The House settled on a relatively moderate Republican, Rep. Taylor Barras. He is a pro-business New Iberia banker who is well liked on both sides of the aisle. Westwego Republican Sen. John Alario, who was the unanimous choice for another stint as Senate president, is far more pragmatic than partisan. After nine terms in the House - with two stints as speaker - and two terms in the Senate, the former Democrat knows the budget as well as anyone in the capitol.
The new speaker and Sen. Alario must set the tone for the Legislature to work with Gov. Edwards on solutions to Louisiana’s deep financial problems. There will be disagreements, of course, but lawmakers should be willing to collaborate and compromise.
The governor must be willing to do the same, and he has promised repeatedly that he will.
Gov. Edwards was a long-shot to win this office. There were no Democrats holding statewide office until he defeated Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter in the runoff in November.
The governor alluded to those results in his inaugural address. “We are here because you have chosen to rise above partisan politics and put Louisiana first. I was not a business-as-usual candidate, and I will not be a business-as-usual governor,” he said.
He talked about his Louisiana roots, his faith and his West Point training.
“In military terms, victory is won by information (or intelligence), strategy and tactics. That is how I propose we proceed in our shared mission,” he said.
“We must be honest with ourselves and one another. I can tell you I’d rather be here today inheriting a billion dollar surplus, than a $1.9 billion shortfall, but there isn’t a challenge we won’t meet,” he said.
There are many challenges: high poverty rates, poor health and education rankings, dwindling resources for higher education and, of course, the budget crisis.
“While all options are on the table, we’re going to make strategic budget reductions, increase efficiencies, accept our federal tax dollars back, and rework the failed system of tax incentives, credits and rebates, which bleed the state’s revenue and, too often, leave little to show for the spending,” Gov. Edwards said in his speech Monday.
How? “By partnering with the Legislature, business and industry, local governments, educators, stakeholders and working people all across this state … I can’t do it alone, and the enormous challenges we face will not be resolved overnight. But together, we will accomplish our mission.”
Inauguration Day is made for optimism. But Louisianians need our leaders - Gov. Edwards and the Legislature - to follow through this time.
Online:
https://www.nola.com/
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