Our Views: Council keeps a CATS role

Gov. Bobby Jindal recently vetoed a bill that would have shifted authority over Baton Rouge’s public transit system away from the Metro Council, giving the Capital Area Transit System’s board the power to raise fares and determine routes without council approval.

Jindal’s veto means that the Metro Council will continue to have a strong role in managing the transit system, which stands to get a big boost in funding thanks to recent voter approval of a dedicated tax for CATS.

In his veto letter, Jindal said that House Bill 865, sponsored by state Rep. Regina Barrow of Baton Rouge, would have given the CATS board authority to raise fares by more than 25 percent, and Jindal disapproved..

Some critics of Barrow’s bill expressed concern that the legislation would give an unelected board too much authority. We understand those concerns.

But we hope the Metro Council uses its authority over CATS more wisely in the future. Its previous performance in this regard has left much to be desired. In the past, members of the Metro Council didn’t seem willing to allow bus routes to be cut or fares raised to help keep the CATS budget in the black. During tough budget times, the Metro Council also stuck its head in the sand as the bus service sought funding to help keep its buses running.

The Metro Council’s poor leadership when CATS was struggling doesn’t inspire our confidence that the council will do a good job managing CATS through better times.

When a public body not known for its statesmanship has oversight over an agency getting a fresh stream of public money, citizens have a right — and an obligation — to be vigilant.

Comments

1) Comment by phil - 27/06/2012

This is complicated. First we can discuss the CATS tax that just passed. It was sold as a municipal tax that would not apply the homestead exemption. Now the Attorney General has issued an opinion that the tax is NOT a municipal tax and the homestead exemption WILL apply, and apparently the assessor agrees. I think the entire tax should be declared null and void since nobody knew what they were actually voting on. Next, the subject about who should control CATS. The LA Legislature forms these political subdivisions of the state that seem to have about much power as a municipality or the parish. However these political subdivisions of the state (like BREC etc) are run by appointed board members and not elected officials. Then, for example, they can roll millages forward with one board meeting with little input of the public. I personally think if we are going to have these quasi-government entities, then we should also have elected officials run them. Maybe we need to elect a mayor and a council just for CATS. In other words we need to start from scratch with the tax and with the actual governing authority for CATS- and also make the Legislature stop creating all of these independent subdivisions of the state etc..

2) Comment by DMJ - 21/06/2012

Yes, it's all a big liberal conspiracy. Quit whining...

3) Comment by 8point6 - 20/06/2012

@The_Host: This medium has been doing that for a long time. I just tried to read comments on this: Protests end; union, CATS meet" Can't read or comment on this article. However, if any article/letter comes out anti_Jindal, then, everyone can comment on them for a couple of days.....

4) Comment by The_Host - 20/06/2012

Why does the Advocate get to have an opinion on things yet they post a story and only sometimes open it up to comments (aka OPINIONS of the readers) then even after opening a story for comments if the comments aka OPINIONS aren't to their liking they just remove all the comments completely. Honestly I don't care about the OPINION of anyone at the Advocate. Perhaps you should try just reporting the news and let us decide what our own opinions are after reading it! That is what Journalism is supposed to be after all correct?

5) Comment by twinkie1cat - 20/06/2012

lovemykids: You know it. I thought it was just the punishment that Jindal was meting out to many legislators that went against him, in his destroy the schools bills, but you are right. There is a loud, obnoxious conservative running for mayor in the person of Mike Walker. Of course the King would want to increase and consolidate his power as well as make Mike beholding to him.. Probably putting a very happy chunk of money in his campaign too. Good thinking!

6) Comment by twinkie1cat - 20/06/2012

CATS should have an elected governing board with a couple of appointees by the mayor and the Metro Council. Atlanta's Marta Board is elected and includes representatives from counties that don't pay the Marta tax. As a result, they have developed their own bus systems that hook into Marta where previously they were devoid of public transportation like Livingston and Ascension are. Jindal's veto probably had nothing to do with fare increases, which he would support because it would affect the poor and middle class while benefiting wealthy Republicans who own the businesses they need to get to for work . The veto is because the Baton Rouge legislators did not support his bills to destroy the public schools. He is doing that consistently, such as when he vetoed the tax district to provide infrastructure for Livingston Parish's Juban Crossing because the representative from that area did not support school destruction. He is doing his best to intimidate and harrass elected law makers who do not support his dynasty without reservation.

7) Comment by DMJ - 20/06/2012

It seems CATS would be better managed if its board could act independantly of the Metro Council. This is an odd move by Jindal. I figured a Republican would be on board with CATS having its own independant management rather than keeping more government control. Besides, half the council was against the CATS tax in the first place. Who's to say they won't use their positions of power to sabatoge the success of CATS so they can say they were right all along? Shouldn't those in charge of running CATS be people actually committed to its success?

8) Comment by lovemykids - 20/06/2012

What a wonderful thing Jindal did for the election of Mike Walker to the office of mayor-president.

9) Comment by Cousin Dave - 20/06/2012

Poor leadership is actually a compliment for the council,which hasn't done anything but bicker since they were elected. If it was up to them, CATS would be shutting down next month.