Inside Politics for Jan. 22, 2012
Smith: Post’s salary justifies questions
After a round of questions to state Superintendent of Education John White, state Rep. Patricia Smith reminded White that it goes with the territory for officials paid $275,000 per year.
“I told you, you were going to have some hard questions,” Smith said. “When you make big bucks you get big questions.”
Smith, a former member of the East Baton Rouge Parish school board, is a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
The panel approved White’s salary on Friday after a series of questions and comments from Smith and others.
Sen. Broome to host webinar on women
Senate President Pro Tempore Sharon Weston Broome is contributing to an effort to convince more women to seek public office.
Broome, D-Baton Rouge, will help lead a national webinar Thursday on the issue.
“It is important that women have a voice at the table when important decisions are made about our state’s and our nation’s future,” Broome said in a prepared statement.
To participate in the noon to 1 p.m. webinar, log onto www.the2012project.us.
Ethics Board: Boffy can keep side job
The Louisiana Board of Ethics found no conflict of interest last week with Board of Elementary and Secondary Education member Holly Boffy continuing to serve as a paid consultant for an education-related group.
Boffy, of Youngsville, has a contract with the Council of Chief State School Officers to serve as a consultant for its Education Evaluations Program.
The board signed off on an advisory opinion which concluded that because BESE has no relationship with the council Boffy’s continued work is not prohibited.
AG tells DHH head to stay out of suit
Attorney General Buddy Caldwell decided late last week to respond to state health officials who protested his office’s handling of a settlement in a lawsuit with a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
State Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce Greenstein said his office did not sign off on the $3 million settlement from which a special fund in Caldwell’s office would get one-third. He argued that all the money should go to health care where it could help more Medicaid recipients.
In a brief statement, Caldwell said DHH should refrain from commenting in the media on “pending litigation and releasing privileged communications on settlements.”
Gautreaux director of retirement board
Term limits stopped Butch Gautreaux from as running for re-election to the state Senate, but he’s not going away.
Gautreaux, D-Morgan City, has become a director emeritus on the board of the Retired State Employees Association.
Gautreaux, who chaired the Senate Retirement Committee, took the Jindal administration to task on plans to privatize the state employee Group Benefits health plan.
In recent weeks, Gautreaux has emailed incoming legislators laying out his continuing concern over the administration’s increase of employee premiums to make it more marketable to private companies.
“The sad fact is that these egregious actions by the Jindal administration were taken without consideration of state employees who have had no pay raises and state retirees who have had no cost of living increases for the last two years,” Gautreaux wrote.
‘Conservationist of Year’ is Mike Strain
The Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts named Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain “Conservationist of the Year” at their 66th annual convention held Jan. 12 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Lafayette.
Ernest Girouard, president of the association, said Strain was granted the award because of his strong support of Louisiana’s conservation efforts.
“He has a heightened interest in guaranteeing the sustainability of agriculture and understands the importance of maintaining healthy soil and water quality,” Girouard said.
Teachers Federation president is speaker
Steve Monaghan, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, will address the Press Club of Baton Rouge at noon Monday.
Monaghan will discuss Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recently released education plan to aid students falling behind to stay in school and raise the Louisiana graduation rate of 70.9 percent.
The Press Club meets on Mondays at De La Ronde Hall, 320 Third St. Lunch, which is served at 11:30 a.m., is $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers. The public is invited, but only members of the Press Club and members of the news media are allowed to ask questions during the question-and-answer portion of the program.
BRCC to host MLK celebration Tuesday
Baton Rouge Community College will host its Annual MLK Celebration on Tuesday in the Magnolia Performing Arts Pavilion.
BRCC students, faculty, and staff will unite to commemorate the legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The theme for the occasion is “The life, the legacy, the vision.”
The keynote speaker for this event is Harold Eugene Ford, Jr.
Ford was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee’s 9th congressional district, centered in Memphis from 1997-2007.
The event is free and open to the public.
Secretary of state to speak to GOP group
Secretary of State Tom Schedler is scheduled to address the Republican Women of Baton Rouge on Wednesday.
The group is meeting at 11 a.m. at the Renaissance Hotel, salon 4, 7000 BlueBonnet Blvd. The cost is $25.
Those wishing to attend can send an email to dinal@performance-br.com.
Lane Grigsby to address Pachyderms
Baton Rouge contractor and political activist Lane Grigsby will be the guest speaker for Thursday’s meeting of the Pachyderms of Greater Baton Rouge.
Grigsby will discuss why he is part of efforts to improve Louisiana’s public education system and how he works to involve others.
The 6:30 p.m. meeting will be at the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 3084 College Drive. Cost for the buffet is $13. Pachyderm meetings are open to the public. Reservations are requested at (225) 644-5728 or hlacour@eatel.net.
Compiled by the Capitol news bureau. Contact email address is mballard@thead
vocate.com.