Various items

It looks like Mike Walker will be the next Mayor Pro Tem. Mike has done a good job of providing leadership to all of the new council members and they will reward him by making him the next Mayor Pro Tem of East Baton Rouge.

Bones Addison is the odd man out. Bones is spending more time in Florida and Chicago with the Obama transition team than he is in Baton Rouge. Bones told a friend of mine that with the election of Obama his business has increased ten times. Bones is in tight with the Obama team and Jessie Jackson. It appears that Bones has very little interest in the Metro Council. Last Thursday there was a retreat for the new Metro Council, Bones only showed up to take the official picture of the new council with the mayor and then he left. I have not heard anything official but makes me wonder if Bones is lining up for some appointed job with the Obama administration. My personal opinion is I would not put money on Bones completing his term of office.

This new Council has a very good working relationship and they are determined not to fight among themselves. It will be interesting to see how long this last.

Ronnie Edwards, Donna Collins-Lewis, C. Denise Marcelle, and Tara Wicker are natural allies and old Friends. I would expect that they will vote together most of the time. If you want something past in the Metro Council you better have the girls on your side.

The Parish of East Baton Rouge is getting geared up to be in the Obama Economic Stimulus line this February. I talked to someone in the Mayor's office and I was told that the mayor believes that President Elect Obama first actions as president will be to have an economic stimulus package that will include infra-structure improvement for cities. The Mayor wants to be in that line for money early and is now drafting a request. I was not told what kind of infra-structure improvements the Mayor will ask for, but I hope that he is asking for money for Baton Rouge's aging sewer plants and bridges.

AGENDA

FINANCE AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
2:30 P.M. Room 348

Item 23:
Authorizing the Mayor-President to enter into a cooperative endeavor
agreement and professional services contract with the Greater Baton
Rouge Economic Partnership, a non-profit affiliate of the Baton Rouge
Area Chamber, for the term of one year to act as the City-Parish’s
Economic Development Department, so as to effect a professional
business development program that will provide quality job growth and
increased economic opportunities for the City-Parish, and to appropriate
the sum of $500,000 for the funding thereof. By: Mayor-President.

On the East Baton Rouge Metro Council Finance and Executive Committee agenda for the meeting on November 19, 2008 item 23 authorizes the city to renew its contract with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.

This contract is for "a professional development program that will provide quality job growth and increase economic opportunities for the City-Parish."
The City of Baton Rouge will pay the Chamber $500,000.

My question is shouldn't this already be the mission of the Chamber and why does Baton Rouge have to pay $500,000 for these services?

If the Chamber is acting as the economic arm of Baton Rouge and being funded by tax payers, why does the Chamber have a political PAC (FuturePAC) that is active in City-Parish political campaigns?

The new Metro Council elect was almost entirely supported by the Chamber's PAC, of the 12 members 10 were endorsed by FuturePAC. the only newly elected members that were not supported by the Chamber was Bonds Addison and Smokie Bourgeois.

FuturePAC donated $5000 to all of the candidates they endorsed for the primary election. For those candidates that was in a runoff they donated another 5 grand to those candidates. After the primary they also donated money to two new candidates that were not endorsed originally. In district 7 FuturePAC donated $5000 to Denise Marcelle after Isaiah Marshall did not make the runoff. In district 6 FuturePAC originally endorsed Martha Tassin and in the run-off they donated $5000 to Tassin campaign but hedging their bets they also gave Donna Collins-Lewis $3000 for the run-off.

The problem I have is that the Baton Rouge Chamber is active in getting Metro Council Members elected with FuturePAC and then it contracts with the City-Parish to the tune of $500,000. To me it just doesn't seem right.

I feel that any Council member who has received money from FuturePAC should reuse themselves from any vote that affects the Baton Rouge Chamber.

Informational links:
Who FuturePAC endorsed originally: http://www.brac.org/site.php?pageID=58&newsID=793
Who FuturePAC gave money to for the primary: http://www.ethics.state.la.us/cgi-bin/la98/forms/PAC990133/15283/202E-3
Who they gave money to for the runoff: http://www.ethics.state.la.us/cgi-bin/la98/forms/PAC990133/15906/202E-3

Bones Addison on the Rise

It is my understanding that Bonds is contacting fellow Metro Council Members for their support for the Mayor Pro-Tem job. As usual in Baton Rouge politics he is turning it into a black white issue.

I was hopping that Baton Rouge Metro Council would get past the black white issue. I was hopping that we would see the fulfillment of Dr. Martin Luther King dream that a person would not be judged for the color of their skin but the content of their character. Call me a dreamer.

The council is now evenly divided with 7 whites and 5 blacks, 5 women and 7 men, 6 democrats and 6 republicans. Either they can work together and get thing accomplished our they can spend the next four years fighting. It is their choice.

Free Fast Eddie

It is being reported that President Bush is considering commuting the sentence of Edwin Edwards.

What is interesting is that former Gov. David Treen, former U.S. Senators John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston are the ones that are petitioning Bush for Edwards.

Both Treen and Johnson were defeated by Edwards for governor of Louisiana. I am surprised that David Duke isn't also a petitioner.

Politics Really does Make For Strange Bedfellows!

The Baton Rouge Fab Five!

Edwards and Donna Collins-Lewis

First it was Hilary, then it was Sarah Palin and now it is the Baton Rouge Fab Five!

To me the BIG, BIG story of this local election is the five women who won seats on the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Never in the history of Baton Rouge have there been five women serving on the Metro Council at one time.

All of these women are forward thinking and have been involved in the city for many years. Over the years these women have worked on projects together, so that they already have a close working relationship.

Tara Wicker was the neighborhoods coordinator under Mayor Bobby Simpson. She was the bright spot of the Simpson administration. While working for the Simpson administration she work with many of these women and count some of then as personal friends.

Alison Cascio is a professional city planner who had been David Boneno assistant, she is very knowledgeable of the problems in our city and will be a great asset to the Metro Council.

Ronnie Edwards is no stranger to politics. She is a long time ally of State Senator Sharon Weston Broome and the founding executive director of Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation. She has very good political instincts. She knows how to bring people together and build coalitions.

Donna Collins-Lewis has worked with Yvonne Dorsey and she is an old friend of Ronnie Edwards. Lewis worked for the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court working with Yvonne Dorsey and even Mike Walker.

C. Denise Marcelle worked with an attorney as a legal assistant and has been involved with churches in her district. She has also worked on projects with both Ronnie Edwards and Donna Collins-Lewis.

With these sharp, intelligent women on the Metro Council I am expecting great things from the Council.

All I have to say to the men on the Council you better either lead, follow, are get the hell out of the way!

My crystal ball is hazy:

My crystal ball is hazy:

I was very wrong about Kennedy! I guess a bad candidate is a bad candidate and coat tails can’t help a bad candidate.

Mayor's Tax proposal
Fails because nothing in it for Central and Zachary.

This measure failed by less than two percent of the vote. If the mayor would have put some goodies in for Central and Zachary the story could have been different.

Judge, Juvenile Court, Elec. Sect. 1A
Gerald T. "Jerry" Arbour, R Overwhelming a Republican district. The "R" behind Arbour name wins the race.

I blew that call!

Metro District 2
Handy wins. Too much support from the Mayor.

And this one! The mayor will have his hands full with Bones.

Metro District 3
Chandler Loupe wins big!

Loupe won, but it was no landslide.

Metro District 5
Edwards wins big 70%+. Put a fork in this race it is over, Edwards is just too organized.

Edwards won by 68%. Close but no cigar.

Metro District 6
Toss up. Depends on turn out. Don't count Tassin out.

Wasn’t even close. Donna Collins-Lewis won by a landslide.

Metro District 7
Sharper has the edge. Sorry about that folks.

I miss this one bad. I must salute the voters for voting a bad guy out.

Metro District 10
This is a hard one to call to good candidates both well organized. I have to go with my heart and go with Tara Wicker.

Boy this was a close race. Wicker won by 6 votes.

Metro District 11
Cascio by a landslide.

Got this one right!

Metro District 12
Benham in a close one. Status-quo is hard to beat.

Smokie won by 36 votes. This race really surprised me.

Vote: Early and Often!

I just voted and it took me about 45 minutes to vote. The election officials are doing a great job, just a lot of people who want to vote.

I call a few friends of mine and this is true at almost every voting precinct in the state.

My suggestion to you is do not wait to the last minute to vote and bring a good book to read while in line. Remember you must be in line to vote before 8:00 PM to be able to vote.

Oh, yea one other thing. Most precints have limited parking if you can walk I would suggest you to walk.

John Kennedy, can win?

The polls show Sen. Mary Landrieu leading John Kennedy by a large margin and if this was a normal election Mary would win; but this is not a normal election.

The Obama phenomenon and the Katrina effect are working to defeat Landrieu.

The first time Mary ran for the US Senate it was New Orleans and the Ninth Ward that carried her to victory over Woody Jenkins. Hurricane Katrina has displaced much of her New Orleans base vote. This will be Mary’s first election that she cannot count on a large vote from New Orleans to help her win.

This year presidential election is one of the most polarizing elections that America has ever had. Feelings are running high for and against Obama very few are neutral. The record high voter turnout demonstrates the passion the electors have in this election.

Those on the Right of the political spectrum see this election as an attack on long held values. Words such, as “Distribution of Wealth and Socialism” has become the battle cries for the Right. For those on the Right it is not only about the president’s race but it is also about the Congress it is as if Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosie are on the ballot with Barrack Obama.

I have a hard time believing that someone who is voting for John McCain can vote for the Democratic Mary Landrieu.

All of the polling is indicating that John McCain is going to win Louisiana by a large margin. I feel that his coat tails are going to carry John Kennedy.

My Predictions

This is my predictions for next Tuesday Baton Rouge elections.
I hope that my crystal ball is working.

Mayor's Tax proposal
Fails because nothing in it for Central and Zachary.

Judge, Juvenile Court, Elec. Sect. 1A
Gerald T. "Jerry" Arbour, R Overwhelming a Republican district. The "R" behind Arbour name wins the race.

Metro District 2
Handy wins. Too much support from the Mayor.

Metro District 3
Chandler Loupe wins big!

Metro District 5
Edwards wins big 70%+. Put a fork in this race it is over, Edwards is just too organized.

Metro District 6
Toss up. Depends on turn out. Don't count Tassin out.

Metro District 7
Sharper has the edge. Sorry about that folks.

Metro District 10
This is a hard one to call to good candidates both well organized. I have to go with my heart and go with Tara Wicker.

Metro District 11
Cascio by a landslide.

Metro District 12
Benham in a close one. Status-quo is hard to beat.

Ethics Board might have violated law

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/33705954.html

This is great. Governor Jindal's new ethics board in their first meeting totally disregarded Louisiana's "Open Meeting Law" and went into executive session to chat with the nominees to the ethics board.

Is this Jindal's new ethics, that matters are decided in closed meeting to the disregard of Louisiana law.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. It would appear that lawyers and ex-legislatures would know the laws of Louisiana. I hope that this is not a picture of things to come.

Benham & Bourgeois: Dumb and Dumber!

The runoff for District 12 East Baton Rouge Metro Council is like a bad dream between two candidates Dumb and Dumber aka Jim Benham and Smokie Bourgeois.

This is the second time that these two candidates have met in a runoff for the Metro Council. In the late 90's Councilmen Jim Behham was a one-man crusade trying to ban alcohol in East Baton Rouge. Benham's anti-alcohol policies angered most of the restaurant and bar owners in Baton Rouge. Smokie Bourgeois a local cult hero and the owner of Georges's Restaurant decided to run against Benham in the 2000 election. Bourgeois forced Benham into a runoff. Benham with the help of his fellow council member Lori Burgess won the race by a very small margin.

Now in 2008 Jim Benham only campaign promise is that he is going to rid the South Downs area of Tommy Spinosa Rouzan development. Who knows what Smokie’s platform is, maybe more drinks for everyone?

Benham is not taking any direct contribution nor is he putting his money in the campaing, he is taking in-kind contribution on items like yard signs and push cards. Bourgeios has raised a small amount of money. Both of these campaigns are very low budget.

Unfortunately it does not matter who wins, the real losers in this race are the citizens of the 12th District and the citizens of East Baton Rouge.

HOLDEN & TASSIN

Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks withinSmiling faces, smiling faces sometimes They don't tell the truth uh Smiling faces, smiling facesTell lies and I got proof.

This 1970's song written by Barrett Strong and made famous by the Temptations and latter by the Undisputed Truth sums up the relationship of Mayor Kip Holden and his dear friend Martha Jane Tassin.

Martha Jane Tassin is in a fight for her political life with Donna Collin-Lewis for her 6 District seat on the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Since Mayor Kip Holden was elected Tassin has been one of his strongest allies and the Mayor has made a promise to her that he would help her get re-elected and how important she is on the Metro Council and the Planning Commission.

Tassin demographics have changed radically since 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina and now African Americans are the majority voters in her district. Martha Jane's opponent in the run-off is Donna Collin-Lewis who is a very well connected African American that is closely aligned with Yvonne Dorsey. When Mayor Kip Holden is at white groups such as Good Growth Coalition he talks about how important Martha Jane Tassin is to the city and that it is very important for her to be re-elected. But the facts are that Holden is also helping Lewis and that his number one lieutenant Alfred Williams is running Lewis campaign.

Kip Holden could help Martha by actively campaigning for her but he has chosen only to help her with false words of help. In District 1 Mayor Holden has endorsed Gerald Handy over Bones Addison. In Handy's race the mayor has become very active and very public in his campaigning for Handy. He has sent out letters of endorsement for Handy and he has helped raise money for him. The Mayor has not in any way helped Tassin. His promises to help her have been empty lies. As Kip Holden smiles and reassures Martha of his support he is stabbing her in the back.

Republican like Mike Waker and Mike Futrell should take the advice of Barrett Strong song when dealing with Mayor Kip Holden:

Beware, beware of the handshake that hides the snake I'm telling you beware, beware of the pat on the back It just might hold you back.

I understand that Mayor Kip Holden has promised Mike Walker that he is going to help him become the next mayor pro-tem. Yea, right.

Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes they don't tell the truth, uh

Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies and I got proof.

Joe The Plumber at the bat!

To use a baseball analogy last night John McCain was able to dink out a single with a pinch hit by Joe the Plumber (or was it an error by Obama?). John McCain now has a runner on first base but his situation is dire. It is the bottom of the ninth, two outs a base runner on first the home team is down by four runs and the fat lady is warming up her voice. Most of the loyal home fans are walking

towards the gates thinking the game is over.

In the words Yogi Berra, "It ain't over till it over" and "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." but it sure looks bad for John McCain and the home team.

John McCain was able to seize on the error that Obama made with Joe the Plumber. Earlier this week when Barack Obama was in Holland Ohio he had a dialog with a local businessman Joe Wurzelbacher (aka Joe the Plumber). In this dialog Obama was trying to explain to Wurzelbacher why it was good for him to pay higher taxes ( http://www.nypost.com/seven/10152008/news/politics/obama_fires_a_robin_hood_warning_shot_133685.htm)

Obama tells Wurzelbacher that he intends to "spread the wealth around". John Mcain was able to put a face on the Obama tax plan and was able to show how his tax plan hurts ordinary people.

John McCain chances of winning are slim to none but if he can keep relating to ordinary people he might have a chance.

If John MCain wins it will because of Joe the Plumber.

Poll Shows Congressman Cazayoux with 17-Point Lead

http://doncazayoux.org/101308.htm

Cazayoux 46

Cassidy 29

Jackson 9

How accurate are these numbers?

The 6 district has an history for voting repub and will carry John McCain.

In the special election a very weak Woody Jenkins almost won the election and it was the independent candidates that took votes from Jenkins that allowed for Cazayoux to win by a simple majority.

If Jackson can get half of the Baton Rouge Black vote and Cassidy can get the majority of the McCain vote I believe that Cazayoux is defeated.

It is hard for me to believe that someone who is voting for McCain will not vote for Cassidy and it is also hard for me to believe that someone who is voting for Obama won't vote for Jackson.

Scott Lemoine, Tax Accountant on Steroids!

Scot Lemoine is in a runoff for East Baton Rouge Metro Council person for District 11 with Alison Cascio. I do not know either candidate nor I do not have a dog in that fight.

In the September 24 issue of the Advocate there was an article concerning Scot Lemine, that was entilted "Candidate claims bias in police s" ( http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/29512024.html?showAll=y&c=y ) .

Lemoine was issued a misdemeanor summons for simple battery. Apparently he was involved in an altercation with one of his tax client and police were called and the summons was issued.

I never knew that tax preparation is a contact sport. I always thought that it was the IRS who did the beating up not your CPA!

If a business man can not conduct himself in a more professional manner he does not have the temperament for public office and should withdraw from the race.

I fear what he might do when tension are high in the Metro Council meetings. Is he going to assault another person with a pile of papers? Watch out for those wild CPA's.

Scot do the right thing and withdraw. Apparently you can't take the heat.

BEAT THE GATORS!

GEAUX TIGERS BEAT THE GATORS!

Last Saturday was bad day for Les Miles and the Tigers. The Tigers were pummeled by a gator named Tebow. It is hard to believe that Chase Daniel is a better quarterback than Tebow.

THE BAIL OUT!

The American public was told that Congress had to pass Bush's $700 Billion take over of the mortgage industry for financial stability.

Congress passed the Bailout on Oct 3 and the President signed it into law that day. On Oct. 2 the Dow Jones Industrial closed at 10,483.85 today one week latter (Oct. 10, 2008) the market closed at 8,451.19 a drop of 2031.66 a 20% decline in thehe market.

It reminds me of the word of Ronald Regan, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'

"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem."

Thanks Bush and the Congress for all of your help!

New Ethics Board learns limitations

(Bobby Jindal's new ethics board)

www.2theadvocate.com/news/30731584.html?showAll=y&c=y

The law, pushed by Gov. Bobby Jindal and key legislators, takes away the board’s judicial authority to decide whether people have violated state ethics and other laws it polices.The Ethics Board is left to investigate and decide whether charges should be filed. Ethics attorneys become prosecutors who try cases before a panel of administrative law judges hired by a governor’s appointee.

I am glad that the nation loves Bobby Jindal and his ethics reform but in reality these reforms are a joke. It is my understanding that there are a limited number of administrative judges and not nearly enough to handle the load that will be created once the Ethics Board starts charging individual with ethics violations and referring them to these judges.

To paraphrase C. B. Forgotson, with he, he, ha, ha Louisiana new ethics reform we have the nations toughest laws with no one to enforce them. Louisianan is open for business!!!

Moore verses Claitor?

(Dan Claitor while working for Harry Connick, Jr)

The question that must be asked is why did DA"Dan" Claitor, R (great name to run for DA) go down in flames to Hillar Moore, D?

This was an open seat and for both Moore and Claitor this was the first time they had ran for public office. Both of these guys come from great Baton Rouge families and both of their campaigns were relatively well financed.

This should had been a classic democrat verses republican match up.

Baton Rouge in the past has been a very friendly town to republicans. It does not make sense that Hillar Moore a democrat would win his election with almost 75% of the vote while running for a open seat against a quality opponent.

I believe there are two reasons for Hillar's landslide. The first reason and probably the biggest reason is Hillar has practice law in Baton Rouge for his entire professional life while Dan worked for the New Orleans DA's office. There is such a divide between Baton Rouge and New Orleans and there is great resentment between these two cities. In the inter-city of Baton Rouge after hurricane Katrina the gang factions divided between the 225's and the 504's. The Baton Rouge gang bangers were not going to let the newly arrived New Orleans gang banger tell then how to run their business this has been the reason for much of the violence in Baton Rouge's intercity.

It is not only with the gang bangers this divide go into all aspects of Baton Rouge society. People from New Orleans see people from Baton Rouge as backwards and people from Baton Rouge resent that attitude.

When DA (Dan) Claitor ran television commercials stating that he worked in the New Orleans DA office and that he prosecuted more cases in New Orleans than the entire East Baton Rouge DA office, this was absolutely the wrong message. It was as if Claitor was saying, "I am from New Orleans and I am going to show you backward people how to clean up your city, like we did in New Orleans". The average Baton Rouogean thought that his message was very insulting and kindled the fires of the 225ers verses the 504ers.

Bottom line is that Baton Rouge is Baton Rouge and it's not New Orleans nor does Baton Rouge want to be New Orleans.

The second reason that Hillar won in such a landslide is because of Hillar's community involvement. He has coached the sons and daughter of Baton Rouge in Baseball, he has raised money for policemen who had been injured on duty and he has acted the fool (like the rest of us) at LSU tailgate parties. Hillar has given back so much to Baton Rouge and by doing this he has touched so many different people and all of these people voted for him. When Dan said, "If you want a baseball coach vote for Hillar” this only reminded the voters of Baton Rouge how Hillar and his family has been active in this city. The citizens of Baton Rouge rewarded his community services by overwhelmingly voting for him.

Someone told me they thought that Cailtor has a great political future ahead of him self. I don't think so. My advice to DA (Dan) Claitor is go beg Hillar Moore for a job and he might be merciful and give him job, after all Claitor has prosecuted more case in one week in New Orleans than the entire Baton Rouge DA's office has ever prosecuted in the history of Baton Rouge!

Baton Rouge is Baton Rouge and Hillar is the new DA, good luck Hillar!

Holden says Hicks behind opponents’ campaigns

Rhett Davis' Great Grand Father

http://www.businessreport.com/archives/daily-report/2008/oct/07/653/

According to Kip Holden, Ted Hicks was the one financing his three opponents. The reason for Hicks' opposition of Holden was because of Holden’s opposition of moving the zoo to Hicks' O'Neal property.

Holden knows that it was Hicks who paid for the poison pen letter that Scott Wilfong sent out.Another enemy of Kip Holden who recruited his opposition was Rhett Davis.

Rhett Davis and friends plan to make a load of money from a company called Redflex Group on the Baton Rouge red light photo enforcement contract. Redflex had offered Davis a royalty on every ticket that Redflex collected on if he could get their company the contract with the city. Davis had the potential to make load of money on that contract. Redflex hired the wrong consultant. Redflex did not get the contract nor were they seriously considered. Davis blamed Kip Holden and accused him of unfair dealings. Rhett Davis promised to get even with Mayor Kip Holden and other metro council members who did not vote the way Davis wanted. Ted Hicks recruited Wayne Carter to run, Rhett Davis recruited both Dan Kyle and Ron Johnson. Davis' strategy was that Holden had abandon his black base and that whites would vote for the republicans leaving making Holden the third guy out and not making the general election. The State Republican Party, aka Rhett Davis donated $10,000 to both Carter and to Kyle as seed money to get their campaign going. The money that was donated from the Republican Party probably came from Ted Hicks. Donating money to a political party is a great way to hide a direct contribution to a candidate.

Holden's opponents were lazy and did not raise any additional money. It appears that some of the expenditures of Holden's opponents were off their financial reports which means that Hicks probably paid for those.

Hicks and Davis’ plan backfired they did not realize the strength of the Mayor nor did they realize how lazy Carter, Kyle and Johnson were.

After Holden won by an unprecedented 70% of the vote he is stronger than ever and his enemies had better watch out.

Reason not to vote for Holden....

Mayor Kip Holden's support for the resolution "One Baton Rouge" is so far out of the main stream of Baton Rouge it clearly shows that Holden has an agenda that most Baton Rougeans do not agree with.

Kip Holden has made it clear that he does not consider his resolution "One Baton Rouge" as a dead issue. One can be assured that Holden will bring it to the new Metro Council next year and it will be defeated again.

Kip Holden has done many great things for Baton Rouge, his leadership in a time of disaster has been heroic. It is clear that Holden has a heart for all of Baton Rouge. BUT...his demanding for the Metro Council to pass his resolution "One Baton Rouge" is ONE reason not to vote for Kip Holden.

The only problem is , "Who else can you vote for?"

How Wayne Carter Plans to Change Direction of Parish?????

Yesterday I received a mailer from Wayne Carter candidate for East Baton Rouge Mayor/President. At first read I thought that it was a very well done mailer and a enjoyable read. I enjoyed reading the article on page 4 how Carter got his nickname of "Spider" and Carter's days on the rodeo circuit, there is a great picture of a young Wayne Carter riding a bull. I was impress of Carter's humble beginnings and how he through hard work started his own successful business. He appears to be a great family man and father.

BUT...On page 2 Carter blows any good will that he might of had with this simple line, "People are fleeing the parish, and white population is declining dramatically."

What are you saying Wayne? Because Baton Rouge has a black mayor people are leaving the parish?

What an idiot! Maybe people are leaving the parish because we have idiots like you leading the parish.

Edwards/Broone?

The decision by many veteran East Baton Rouge Metro Council members not to run for re-election has opened the Metro Council to a new generation of leadership.

One of these impressive new leaders is Ronnie Edwards who is running in district 5, for Charles Kelly current seat.

District five is a north Baton Rouge district that is primarily African-American.

Even though this is the first time that Edwards has run for political office, she is no stranger to Baton Rouge politics. She is a closely associated with State Senator Sharon Weston Broome and has helped managed all of Broome’s campaigns. Edwards is the founding executive director for Broome’s non-profit Urban Restoration Enhancement Corp. that has been helping people to obtain homes for the last fifteen years.

In District 5, there are five people running for office. Edwards is the only candidate that is funded. She has raised over $15,000 in contributions and on her latest financial report, she reported that she had over $8,000 of cash on hand. Her opponents have only raised a small fraction of that amount and according to financial reports they have no cash on hand for the final phase of the campaign.

Edwards has not only raised that amount of money she knows how to spend her money effectively to get her elected. She knows how to identify her vote and get her vote out on Election Day.

Even though there are five people running for that office because of money and hard smart work it is very possible that she will win in the first primary.

If Edwards can win on October 4^th this opens up Edwards and Senator Broome to get involved in other Metro Council races and help those candidates that are friendly to Edwards/Broome.

Ronnie Edwards has good political instincts and is very intelligent but more than that, she knows how to bring people together of all races. She sees can see the bigger picture while representing her District very effectively.

One of the first actions of the new council will be voting for a Mayor Pro-Tem. Mike Walker has expressed an interest in this job and I would except that Bones Addison if he wins would be interest in the job also. Both men are veterans to the Metro Council and both men carry baggage to the Metro Council.

Typically, the election for Mayor Pro-Tem falls between race lines of white conservative republicans verses black democrats. Mike Walker and Bones Addison are both leaders for their respective camps. Mike Walker with a relatively easy race has been helping in other Metro Council candidate’s races and will be more active in the general election. However, the new Metro Council in January will want to have their own leadership and will want to cut from the past that could leave both Walker and Addison out. This could set up for a compromise candidate and Ronnie Edwards could be the one who unites whites and blacks, republicans and democrats.

But, the story behind the store of Ronnie Edwards is that State Senator Broone is building her political machine to run for a bigger office. Maybe Mayor in four years?

Baton Rouge New Mayor

After this election Baton Rouge will have a new mayor. Mike Futrell!

Walter Monsour will leave the Mayor's office to go back to private business leaving the Mayor in the very experience hands of Mike Futrell.

Mike you could have been a contender!

Kip Holden's Revenge!

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Mayor Kip Holden certainly knows what this old saying means. He knows that to take revenge it must be calculated, well planed, and cold blooded. Anyone who has been behind close door and has seen the Mayor in action knows that the Mayor is a power politician who knows how to use his political power.

If Kip Holden was Don Vito Corleone, Scot Wilfong would be sleeping with the fish in a pair of cement shoes. Even though Scot has not been fitted for a pair of new shoes Scot should be looking behind his shoulder knowing that the wrath and the revenge of Kip Holden is coming.

One of the most effective means of extracting revenge is to go after ones friends and love one. It appears that Kip is going after the friend’s of Scot.

Jerry Arbour and Scot have been friends for a long time. Arbour finance report shows he is doing business with a Wilfong company called Capitol Promotions. In addition, Wilfong is acting as Arbour’s campaign manager.

Jerry Arbour is running for Juvenile Judge. His opponents are Kathleen Richey the incumbent and Troy Humphrey former Assistant District Attorney.

Early on in this campaign, most people thought that Arbour was going to win this race in the first primary with impressive numbers but all has changed since Arbour’s good friend Scot sent out the hate mail against the Mayor.

Word on the street is that the Mayor is helping Humphrey in his race.

According to the latest campaign finance report Troy Humphrey has no money on hand and he had made no campaign expenditures. This report is for the period August 25. In the past week Humphrey yard signs have spread through out Baton Rouge and he has a number of large billboard signs through out Baton Rouge. This is impressive from a man who two weeks ago reported that he had no money.

When one is running for judge one is not allowed to ask for a contribution or receive a contribution personally. The candidate must get someone who will solicit campaign contributions for him. It would be very easy for the Mayor to place someone who would solicit funds for Humphrey, someone who is very closely associated with the Mayor, someone when his name is mentioned you know he is doing the bidding for the Mayor. Could that someone be Alfred Williams? Not sure. However, Alfred Williams could raise a large sum of money for Humphrey and he has the political savvy to show Humphrey how to win.

Kathleen Richey and Jerry Arbour will split the white vote, while Humphrey captures the entire African American vote almost guaranteeing a November run off. With Richey as the incumbent and Arbour the president of the unpopular school board chances are that Arbour will be the odd man out.

The emergence of Humphrey in this campaign is a part of Kip Holden’s plan to take out the friends of Wilfong.

Wilfong, you will never see it coming, but it is coming and you are in the cross hair of Kip Holden whose ultimate goal is to destroy you professionally.

Oh, yea Wilfong give up the idea of serving on the BREC board, it ant going to happen. Not in this lifetime.

Friends and clients of Scot Wilfong, be warned you could be in the cross hairs Mayor President Kip Holden.

Revenge is a dish best served cold!

Mayor Kip Holden

The political reality is that Mayor Kip Holden will win his race on October 4. His campaign coffers are full with cash and both whites and blacks love him. While his opponents are broke and irrelevant.

The Mayor’s opponents for the most part are quality people that have served this parish and state with distinction it is sad to see then reduced as yapping dogs chasing the mayor hoping that he would stumble so that they could have a chance. It is unfortunate to see someone I have greatly admired as a guardian of public funds to be reduced to a petty politician. If Dan Kyle would not have been manipulated to run for every open office his service to our state would have become legionary. But his legacy will be one of an angry trivial politician who could never win an election. What can you say about a man whose nickname is “Spider” other than he should be stepped on and squashed like the creepy crawler that he is. Ron Johnson will say or do anything to get elected or help his wife get elected.

The bottom line will be that Baton Rougeans appreciates the great job that Mayor Kip Holden did during Hurricane Gustav and Katrina and on October 4 they will reward him with their votes.

Sorry losers!