Dedicated Funds Not Safe from Jindal

Recently there has been a lot of chatter regarding President Obama’s purported violation of the U. S. Constitution by over stepping his authority.  One of his most vocal critics is the governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal.

However, Jindal probably ranks as one of the most hypocritical critics of all of President Obama’s foes.

One only has to look at Jindal’s budgetary schemes to find abundant examples of exceeding one’s authority coupled with a total disregard for the Louisiana constitution and the wishes of the Louisiana voters.

During Jindal’s term he has continually raided funds that were dedicated by constitutional amendment, legislative proposition, or mandate for specific purposes, and used them instead for other purposes in order to balance the state’s operating budget.

Some of these dedicated funds’ confiscations included:

1)      The raiding of $40 million each year from the Millennium Trust Fund, the tobacco industry suit monies originally mandated for health and education needs.

 

2)      The Medicaid Elderly Trust Fund totaling over $830 million.   Money initially dedicated for providing supportive home health services for the elderly and disabled.  The intent of these funds was to never touch the principal amount, but Jindal has depleted the principal to supplement Medicaid reimbursements to private nursing homes.

3)      The Office of Group Benefits health insurance reserve fund totaling over $550 million.

4)      The retirement fund for probation and parole officers totaling over $3.7 million. The Jindal administration is being sued over the raiding of these funds and is presently in the appeal’s process.

5)      Dedicated Louisiana Public Service Commission funds.  The administration is also being sued over the confiscation of these funds.

6)      The Artificial Reef Development Fund.  Monies dedicated for the construction of artificial reefs to slow coastal erosion totaling over $44.5 million.

7)      Katrina recovery monies dedicated for home owners that suffered hurricane damage. Some of this money was raided and redirected for upgrades, NOT REPAIRS, to the Superdome.

8)      The Concealed Handgun Permit Fund, totaling $1.2 million, legislated to be used solely for the administrative costs in issuing permits.

9)      The Blind Vendors’ Trust Fund, totaling $1.6 million. This fund was established to set aside money from vending operations in courthouses and other state or federal properties and use it to help the legally blind run snack stands, cafeterias and vending machines. By raiding this fund, Jindal is literally taking money from the blind.

10)  The Transportation Trust Fund.  Bobby raided over $60 million from this road and bridge infrastructure repair and maintenance fund and gave it to the state police.

11)  The St. Landry’s Excellence Fund  ear marked to provide additional educational funding in St. Landry Parish.

The list goes on, but space is limited.

The main issue with all these funds being raided is not whether you agree, or disagree with the merits of the funds, but the fact that Louisiana citizens approved the establishment of them for specific purposes by exercising their vote.

Governor Bobby Jindal continues to ignore the mandates of the people who he was elected to serve, and, in some cases, even state constitutional amendments; the same behavior which he energetically attributes to our President.

And the greater hypocrisy of all this is many in his own political party, who also complain about our President, condone Jindal’s behavior by allowing the funds’ raiding to continue each budget year.

It appears we have our own Obama clone right here in Louisiana.