Archive for August, 2008

Preparing for Hurricane Gustav

August 26th, 2008 | Posted by bobbyjindal

Dear Friends,

 

Hurricane Gustav is currently forecasted to enter the Gulf of Mexico this weekend as a major hurricane. We do not know whether this storm will impact Louisiana, but now is the time to make certain that you and your family have a gameplan. Preparation for storms is absolutely critical, and I encourage you to visit our website, www.GetaGameplan.org, to find tips and ideas for individual emergency plans. Make certain you have an evacuation plan for your family and pets, as well as 3 to 5 days of supplies such as water, non-perishable foods, and batteries in case of emergency.

 

Safety is our first concern when storms are approaching, and having a plan in place is of the utmost importance. We will be closely monitoring the situation as the storm progresses, and encourage you to monitor your local media outlets to obtain the most current information on Hurricane Gustav.

 

 

Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |

Bringing New Technologies to Lousiana

August 25th, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,
Governor Jindal announces that EA Sports will open a global quality assurance center in Louisiana.

Bringing New Technologies to Lousiana

 

I was very pleased to announce last week that EA Sports, the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company, will be creating a North American Test Center on LSU’s South Campus. As Sharon Knight, EA’s senior vice president, said in the New Orleans Times Picayune the center will be “the first of its kind for the company, which has never before partnered with a university on a job project,” and is a great example of the sort of technologically-driven jobs we must continue to bring to Louisiana.

 

The center will create 20 full time jobs and more than 200 part-time jobs for Louisianians. As the Baton Rouge Advocate reported, these are the “kind of jobs” that have “the potential for keeping young people excited about staying in Louisiana.”

 

This announcement is a critical step in creating a digital media economy and is a great example of drawing on the strength of our universities. For example, as I said in the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, the University of Lafayette has “one of the most advanced 3-D imaging centers and its video game design degree program provides a well-trained work force for a company seeking to locate a manufacturing facility here.”

 

We will continue to work to bring new companies to our state creating the sort of opportunities that will allow our children to realize their dreams right here in Louisiana.

 

Supporting our Teachers

 

Last week in Monroe I announced that Louisiana has received a two-year, $3.4 million grant from The Wallace Foundation to support educational leaders across the state.  The Monroe News-Star reported that “The Wallace Foundation has funded administrative training in other states for several years because research has shown the difference that qualified leaders make in struggling districts.”

 

The Wallace Foundation grant will allow the Governor’s Office, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the Department of Education, the Board of Regents, and the University of Louisiana system to work hand in hand to continue using various educational leadership initiatives to ensure that Louisiana is moving forward in its ability to recruit, train, and retain qualified school principals. As I stated in the Baton Rouge Advocate, “we know that the key to strengthening our children’s education is to put a good teacher in every classroom…and ensuring that we have innovative educational leaders is critical to supporting the efforts of our dedicated teachers.”

 

The University of Louisiana-Monroe and LSU-Shreveport have already begun their Louisiana Leader Fellows Programs, which will certify specially selected teachers to become school administrators in high-need areas throughout the state within the year. We will continue to work with educational leaders throughout our state to increase opportunities for both our students and our teachers, as we strive to make Louisiana’s educational system a model for the rest of the nation.

 

Visiting Communities Statewide

 

Last week we traveled to Oak Grove, Jeanerette, Napoleonville, Pollock, and Jonesville to talk face to face about the progress we are making in our state. I take your thoughts and concerns very seriously, and we most assuredly take them into account when looking at ways to improve our state. This week I will be travelling to Jonesboro, Columbia, Wisner, and Rosepine, and I look forward to seeing you there!

 

Wednesday, August 27th

10:40 a.m. - Franklin Parish

Kiper Ace Hardware & Lumber, 119 Texas St, Wisner

12:45 p.m. – Caldwell Parish

Schepis Museum, 107 Main St, Columbia

 

Thursday, August 28th

 

10:35 a.m. – Vernon Parish

Catfish Hut, 181 Catfish Hut Road, Rosepine

 

1:05 p.m. – Jackson Parish

Jonesboro Town Hall, 128 Allen Ave, Jonesboro

 

Congratulating Louisiana’s Olympians 

 

As the Olympics have come to a close in China, I want to acknowledge and congratulate all of Louisiana’s outstanding athletes that took part in the games.  Representing our state and country in international competition is a great honor, and our men and women are certainly worthy of it. Twenty athletes and two coaches with Louisiana ties traveled to Beijing to compete in eight different sports, the largest contingent from Louisiana ever.  Thirteen of the athletes currently live and work in Louisiana, while eleven were born in our great state.  They did a great job of not only representing our country, but Louisiana as well, to the rest of the world.

 

Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |

Working with General Motors

August 19th, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,
Governor Jindal at a Town Hall in Ball

Working with General Motors

Last Friday I traveled to Detroit to meet with the president of General Motors (GM) North America to reiterate the state’s support for their Shreveport facility. As reported by the New Orleans Times Picayune, we left the meeting assured that GM will play a vital role in Northwest Louisiana’s economy for years to come with a door still open for expansion in the future.

As GM continues to revamp their business model, we stand ready to assist them to ensure that the Shreveport plant can adapt to changing market conditions, such as converting equipment at the plant to make more fuel efficient vehicles. I am very pleased that we were able to have an open and honest discussion with GM, and I am looking forward to staying in close contact with GM on a monthly basis as the process continues.

 

Investing in our Coast

As we are now in the middle of hurricane season, we are constantly reminded of how important our hurricane and flood protection systems are. Last week, I announced more than $1 billion in funding for hurricane protection and coastal restoration, the largest single investment in these areas in our state’s history. As the New Orleans Times-Picayune wrote, “there are hardly more important goals for Louisiana’s long-term future than rebuilding our coast and improving hurricane protection.”

 

As I have said before, the time for studies and research has long passed. It is time to start breaking ground and digging dirt on these projects, and with this announcement we are ready to do just that. The money will go towards building stronger and safer levees, reinforcing existing levees, and helping rebuild our coast. While our levee systems are generally the focus of news coverage, rebuilding our coast is just as important to our state’s future. One study estimates that for every two miles of coastline we reduce storm surges by one foot, vastly improving the safety of our coastal cities and habitats.

 

As environmental groups said in the Thibodaux Daily Comet , “Louisiana’s spending plan is good news… [as] the plan includes a healthy balance of hurricane-protection and wetlands-restoration work.” These projects, along with nearly $15 billion in ongoing coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects in New Orleans and other areas of the state, represent one of the largest public works efforts in the world, showing our commitment to ensuring the safety of our gulf coast communities.

 

Expanding the Federal City Project

We also announced last week that the state and the United States Navy will soon be signing a 75 year lease agreement for the 149-acre Naval Support Activity New Orleans site, also known as the Federal City Project, on the West Bank of New Orleans. This lease shows the commitment of the United States Navy to investing in the complex, and opens the door for future development on the site.

 

The state has also strongly invested in the project, which will help retain an estimated 1,660 jobs in the New Orleans area and add roughly 300 new positions. Additionally, as retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Mize, who is spearheading the project’s development, said in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, “when the lease is signed next month, planners anticipate more federal agencies will express interest in federal city.” Some local officials have envisioned thousands of new jobs at the site.

 

Our state has had a great working relationship with the military and our federal government, from Barksdale Air Force Base and NASA operations at Michoud, to Camp Minden and Fort Polk. The New Orleans area has plenty to offer federal agencies, and we will continue working with the Navy and other agencies to bring more jobs to Louisiana through the Federal City Project.

 

Sex Offenders

As the father of three young children, I am fully aware of the dangers faced by our kids everyday. It is important that we do everything we can to keep them safe, and we are getting ready to introduce a state-of-the-art registration system for sex offenders. As reported by the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, “an advanced database soon will be unveiled by State Police to replace an outdated system that relies on nearly 70 individually maintained databases at departments throughout Louisiana” and is part of a “continuing effort by law- enforcement agencies to deal with sex offenders.”

 

I have been a strong proponent of strengthening our laws against sex offenders since we took office, and this new database will be of great help for local and state law enforcement agencies by linking State Police, the Department of Corrections, and every sheriff in the state to keep track of those who would harm our children.  As the New Orleans Times-Picayune wrote, “The system, which enters a testing phase next week, will allow residents to more reliably identify offenders living in their neighborhoods and allow residents to be notified when one moves nearby. It also will provide law enforcement with detailed information about the offenders, including their address, vehicles and fingerprints.”

 

We have sent a strong signal that we will not stand down to those who seek to harm our children, and that Louisiana will fight back.
Governor Jindal takes questions at a Town Hall in Jeanerette.

Holding Town Halls

Over the past week I have visited Jeanerette, Napoleonville, and Ball to hear about your concerns and ideas for our state. Since we began these Town Halls last month, I have had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of people across Louisiana. One young girl named Emily in Ball handed me a hand-colored picture that she had made for the occasion. Emily, and children across our state, are the reason we must continue to create a New Louisiana, so she and others like her can pursue their dreams here in Louisiana. I look forward to traveling to Oak Grove later today, as well as Jonesville and Pollock later in the week.

 

Today, Tuesday, August 19

3:30 p.m. – West Carroll Parish, American Legion Hut, 400 North Johnson, Oak Grove

Thursday, August 21

Noon – Catahoula Parish, Catahoula-LaSalle Bank‎, 301 Mound St., Jonesville

2:45 p.m. – Grant Parish, Pollock Community Center, 3812 Pine Street, Pollock

 

Sincerely,

 

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |

Keeping and Growing Businesses in our State

August 12th, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,
Governor Jindal addresses the Chamber Southwest luncheon in Lake Charles.
Photo courtesty of Chamber SWLA

Keeping and Growing Businesses in our State

I will be heading to Detroit later this week to meet with the president of General Motors (GM) North America to reiterate the state’s support for their Shreveport facility, as well as offer possible incentives to help the plant return to full capacity.

 

This week’s meeting follows months of talks with GM officials in Louisiana to make sure that the car manufacturer continues to play an important role in Northwest Louisiana’s economy for years to come.

 

After GM announced last month that they were reducing production at their Shreveport facility due to rising gas prices and an unstable economy, I traveled to Northwest Louisiana to continue talks with local officials about possible solutions, for example, incentives to help convert equipment at the plant to make more fuel efficient vehicles.

 

While attracting new businesses to our state is important, it is critical that we also help those businesses like GM already in our state contributing to our economy. That is why I was proud to announce last week that we have helped Northrop Grumman and Aeroframe Services expand their operations in Lake Charles, creating 130 new jobs and retaining more than 500 jobs at Chennault International Airport.

 

This will have a significant economic impact throughout Southwest Louisiana, and as Charles Harvey, Deputy Director of Chennault, says in the Baton Rouge Advocate, these “announcements secure the aerospace jobs at Chennault while setting the stage for further growth.”

 

As Governor, I will continue to be aggressive when it comes to attracting new businesses to our state while continuing to help current businesses expand and grow.

 

Federal Flexibility For Levee Funding

I am very pleased that we were able to work with federal officials to ensure that Louisiana has flexibility to pay our fair share of levee construction costs over the next 30 years, and not the three years originally called for by the federal government.

This announcement marks a significant step in the recovery of this region and our state.  As the Houma Courier reported, “The decision is a boost to ravaged levees in New Orleans and the other areas damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.”

Not only do our citizens rightly deserve the flood protection they were promised, but also deserve this protection in a way that will not financially undermine our state budget. As the Times Picayune states, this agreement lifts “a heavy burden off Louisiana” and frees financial resources for important hurricane protection and coastal restoration projects, as well as other priorities facing Louisiana. We can now ensure that more dollars are going to projects throughout the state — to fix our roads, health care system, and schools — instead of being forced to repay billions of dollars in a very short amount of time.

I want to thank President Bush and Retired Major General Douglas O’Dell, President Bush’s hurricane-recovery chief, for working with the state and agreeing to this arrangement.

Continuing to Reform Spending Procedures

Last week I issued an executive order creating greater transparency on non-governmental groups receiving state funds. As the Associated Press reported, these groups will “face new restrictions and beefed-up reporting requirements before they receive state cash.”

 

Each organization will present the state with a comprehensive budget on how the money will be spent, as well as detailed descriptions to ensure the money is being spent for the original budgeted purpose. We are also encouraging state agencies to reimburse these organizations for their actual costs, instead of simply handing thousands of dollars over to spend as they wish.

 

Last month I vetoed 258 line items in House Bill 1, saving more than $16 million. This common sense fiscal reform gives the people of Louisiana another level of security in knowing their taxpayer dollars are not being wasted. 

 

We have instituted strong new standards for spending in our state, bringing a new era of fiscal reform to Louisiana. No longer will taxpayer dollars be used as a blank check, and no longer will special interests funnel untold number of dollars into the budget. Your support has been critical as we put these reforms into play, and, as a letter to the editor in the Baton Rouge Advocate said, we are “doing exactly what 600,000-plus voters of our state elected [us] to do.”

 

Town Halls Continue

I traveled to Vidalia in Concordia Parish and Moreauville in Avoyelles Parish last week as we continue our town hall sessions. Every week I get to hear from hundreds of people in different areas across the state, and I am looking forward to traveling to Ball in Rapides Parish later this week.

 

Thursday, August 14

2:30 p.m. – Ball Municipal Building, 100 Municipal Lane, Ball

 

Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |

Declaring a State of Emergency

August 5th, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,
Governor Jindal talks during a press conference Monday on the state’s preparation for Tropical Strom Edouard.

Declaring a State of Emergency

Yesterday I declared a State of Emergency in preparation of Tropical Storm Edouard making landfall along the western Gulf of Mexico earlier today. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) activated its Emergency Operations Center and has worked diligently with state agencies and departments over the past few days to prepare Louisiana for any possible effects from the storm.

 

The state is better prepared than it has been in the past, and we are ready in case disaster strikes. We have invested in our state’s communications systems, ensuring interoperability throughout our agencies, and have more than 700 bus contracts to help evacuate those without transporation.  We have also worked with parishes and non-profits around the state to identify locations that will be able to shelter more than 78,000 people should the need arise.

 

The quick formation of Tropical Storm Edouard off of Louisiana’s coast underlines the importance for every Louisiana family to take personal responsibility and have a plan in place in case of emergency. As reported in the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, we are cautioning residents of coastal Louisiana not to be complacent. We have created a website, www.GetaGameplan.org, to offer tips and ideas for individual emergency plans, and I would encourage you all to visit the site to ensure you are prepared properly. It is vitally important that every family has a plan in place before a disaster strikes, because once a storm arrives it is too late.

 

Meeting With Nucor

I traveled to Charleston, South Carolina last week to meet with executives of Nucor Corp., the largest steel maker in the nation, and to tour their steel facility there. Nucor is considering building a new steel manufacturing plant along the Mississippi River in St. James Parish, which would have a huge economic impact for our state. As a matter of fact, the new plant could, as written by the Baton Rouge Advocate, be “the largest single private sector investment in the state’s history, up to $4 billion.”

 

I had a very productive meeting with Nucor’s executive staff, and I am looking forward to continue bringing new economic development opportunities to our state. Already this year a Fortune 1,000 company has moved its headquarters to Louisiana, and other nationwide companies have agreed to relocate to Louisiana, showing that the nation and the world are taking notice that this is not the same old Louisiana. We will continue working to bring new jobs and new businesses to our state, offering more opportunities not only for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren as well.

 

Honoring Louisiana’s Veterans

It was a great privilege for me to visit with Louisiana’s veterans at the Southwest Louisiana War Veterans Home in Jennings last week. There I participated in a pinning ceremony, honoring the “Greatest Generation” of Americans who served our country valiantly during World War II. It is so important that we in Louisiana never take our dedicated servicemen and women for granted.

 

As mentioned by KPLC, I also spoke about the expansion of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans that will include a section honoring the more than 280,000 Louisiana citizens- the 4th largest state per capita- who served during WWII. I am extremely proud of the men and women who have dedicated their lives in service of our country and who continue to serve in our armed forces. From Barksdale Air Force Base to Fort Polk to Jackson Barracks in New Orleans, Louisiana is proud to recognize our servicemen and women.

 

Talking with Residents Across the State

We continued our town hall meetings this past week, meeting with residents in Mer Rouge, Farmerville, Dubach, Mamou, and Church Point. Over and over again, we hear how excited you are about the New Louisiana and encourage us to continue our reforms. As Shreveport Times columnist Wiley Hilburn said, we have “picked up scandal-prone Louisiana by the ears like a Catahoula cur dog and shaken it violently, getting good government marks in the process.”

 

I strongly believe that hearing from you is an important part in continuing to move our state forward. Residents should not have to go to Baton Rouge just to talk to the Governor. This Thursday I look forward to visiting Vidalia in Concordia Parish and Moreauville in Avoyelles Parish, and will continue traveling around the state in the coming months. I greatly value the concerns of our citizens, and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me as I travel Louisiana.

 

Thursday, August 7

11:30 a.m. – Vidalia Conference and Convention Center, 112 Front St., Vidalia
2 p.m. – Moreauville Community Center, 343 Tassin St., Moreauville


Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |