Some state lawmakers and officials agree, but aren’t sure why, that Gov. Bobby Jindal has shown a more aggressive side in
his second term, in which lawmakers have been stripped of committee seats and some state programs have been cut.
Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne said two of
Jindal’s 10 line-item vetoes were in his budget, including $100,000 that
was stripped from
the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, or
CODOFIL. Dardenne said the cut — nearly half of the council’s $223,000
budget — was irrational because the council brings in tourism
money and provides a French immersion program for students.
“It really is a slap in the face to the French-speaking people in the state,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me. At
a time when we’re reflecting on our bicentennial, it’s a big step backwards for us.”
Jindal explained in his veto message that the state’s budget preamble requires his administration to cut $15 million.
“This activity has been adequately funded and this veto will help to comply with the $15 million preamble adjustment; therefore,
I am vetoing this item,” Jindal stated.
Dardenne — who has been outspoken about the state’s need to invest more money to promote tourism — said he is unsure why the
cuts were directed at his office.
“I have been critical on (state government) not spending enough money on marketing our state,” he said. “If that’s what’s
provoked the governor to veto these items, it’s unfortunate. That’s not a rational reason.”
Dardenne said he is fine with Jindal targeting him specifically, but it should not be at the expense of programs that benefit
the state.
House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, said he is unsure why the cuts to CODOFIL were made, and that he is working
to restore them. He said the French immersion program is critical for students in Southwest Louisiana.
“One of my daughters spent kindergarten
through 12th grade in French immersion,” Kleckley said. “Statistics
reflect that students
who go through the program perform 25 percent better than other
students. Louisiana has a French-speaking culture.”
A couple of state lawmakers and other
state employees have lost committee seats or their jobs for speaking out
against the
governor’s legislative proposals. Rep. Jim Morris, R-Oil City,
recently lost his position as vice chair of the House Natural
Resources Committee after criticizing how the Jindal
administration handled the budget. Rep. Harold Ritchie, D-Bogalusa, was
stripped of his vice chairmanship of the House Insurance Committee
after he voted against an education tax-break bill that
was part of Jindal’s education reform package.
Martha Manuel, who Jindal hired as a staffer in February last year, was fired last March after she criticized a proposal to
move the Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs into the state Department of Health and Hospitals.
The removal of lawmakers is not unusual, said state Rep. Brett Geymann, R-Moss Bluff, who, during his previous term, saw former
Gov. Kathleen Blanco make similar decisions.
The interesting point about Jindal’s relationship with some conservative lawmakers in the House and Senate, he said, is its
contentious nature.
“That seems to be where the majority of the tension is, as I see it,” Geymann said. “To me, it seems like we would be much
closer to him and working more closely on the issues than we appear to be.”
Geymann said he believes Jindal sees
the Legislature as an “inconvenience” in getting his measures
accomplished, including
this year’s budget. During a meeting with Jindal’s administration,
Geymann said he and other lawmakers known as the “fiscal
hawks” were not allowed to discuss their plan to balance the
budget.
“Forty (House lawmakers) voted against the budget, and 37 of those were Republican,” he said. “All us can’t be wrong. There’s
got to be something going on here.”
Dr. Pearson Cross, head of the
Political Science Department at the University of Louisiana at
Lafayette, said Jindal’s second-term
power shift likely came about because he was re-elected with very
little opposition and because of the Republican majorities
in the House and Senate.
Cross said it is a stark contrast to Jindal’s first term, during which he was criticized for shying away from some contentious
issues.
“People are not going to say that (Jindal) is timid anymore,” he said. “He is the sheriff, and we’re seeing that very clearly.”
While Jindal’s actions differ little from those of other Louisiana governors, Cross said he does not believe they benefit
the state.
“We do have a precedence for this in
Louisiana, and it is problematic,” he said. “This sends a very chilling
message: you
can disagree with the governor, but be prepared to pay an economic
price. Frankly, I don’t think that is great government.”
However, Cross said he believes Jindal’s public image has not been affected. He said Jindal may be acting more aggressive
in an attempt to grab a spot as Republican Gov. Mitt Romney’s vice presidential running mate.
“The vice president is usually the person willing to carry an attack to the enemy,” Cross said. “Maybe it’s his way of proving
he can be tough. At this point in Jindal’s career, you’re looking beyond the present into the future.”
State Rep. Mike Danahay, D-Sulphur, said the way Jindal has pushed his agenda is “nothing new.”
“That’s the power of the position,” he said. “I wish it wouldn’t have taken the turn that it has. It seems to have become
more personal.”
Despite Jindal making line-item vetoes and stripping lawmakers from committees, Danahay said plenty of lawmakers are willing
to attack Jindal’s leadership.
“It’s a two-way street,” he said. “Some lawmakers got under his skin.”
Danahay said he would like the Legislature to create the state’s budget instead of the governor. Such a change would require
a constitutional amendment.