ALL ABOUT MONEY AT LSU!

September 29^th, 2016

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

ALL ABOUT MONEY AT LSU!

If you want to know what’s really important in Louisiana, just check out the front pages of newspapers across the state.  There was a lot going on this past week, such as the presidential debate, the U.S. Senate race, climbing crime rates in several Louisiana cities, and the heightened rhetoric over deteriorating race relations from Shreveport to Baton Rouge.  But the lead story that dominated all news outlets across the state was all about the firing of a football coach.

LSU head football coach Les Miles lost his job, which really was not much of a surprise for LSU fans considering a dismal loss to Auburn in the final second.  Actually, LSU scored what fans though was the winning touchdown on the game’s final play, but the ball was snapped one second too late.  If the Tigers had won the game, the mad hatter might have held his job for a few more games, but his star had lost its luster and there was little doubt his days were numbered.

The joke going around the web by the Tiger faithful was that it was time to trade in the old truck and get a new truck.  Why?  Les Miles. Demanding success on the football field is a way of life for many Tiger fans, and thus the screaming headlines that dominated the state’s news. Miles’ buyout will cost LSU over $10 million.

Now dial back a few weeks to the middle of September.  U.S. News and World Report issued its latest annual ranking of top colleges all over the country. It should have been a big story for Louisiana colleges, particularly at LSU, the state’s flagship university.  How did LSU rank compared to other colleges throughout the nation and particularly those schools in the SEC?  There was nary a word about the report in the statewide press. The Advocate in Baton Rouge did run a short story about the rankings, but it was buried at the bottom of page three.  How does LSU rank compared to is peers?  Yawn.  Little or no interest.

So here goes all you taxpayers that pour millions into LSU.  The Flagship was listed as only the 135^th best college in the U.S., a drop of six spots from last year.  Ten other Southeastern Conference colleges were ranked ahead of LSU, including Vanderbilt (15^th), Florida (50^th), and Georgia (56^th),  (Texas A&M (74^th), Auburn (99^th) and football rival Alabama (103rd).  LSU also fell behind Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri and   Kentucky. As folks continually say down here in the Bayou state, thank God for Mississippi as LSU nudged out Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

And that ranking is the good news. The Wall Street Journal, in its new rankings released just this week, listed LSU as number 441^st in the nation.  Every SEC school except Mississippi State was well ahead in ratings.

So how did the LSU leadership respond?  It’s all about money said President King Alexander.  What he failed to acknowledge was that the university’s national rankings were not much better when tax dollars were flush. Saying, “give us more money and we will soar in the rankings” is a cop out.

 And just how bad is the financial situation at LSU?  A large majority of undergraduates receive free tuition through the Taylor scholarship program.  Tuition at LSU is $9,842, lower than a majority of schools in the SEC. Alabama, for example, charges $10,470, Auburn is at $10,696, Tennessee charges $12,668 and Georgia students pay $11,624.

The average teacher’s salary at LSU, with benefits, is one of the highest in the SEC coming in at $158,500.  Auburns averages $149,800, Florida pays $156,400. Georgia professors average $153,800 and Arkansas pays $150,000.  So tuition is low or free and professors are paid above average.

Sure higher education is in a pinch in Louisiana.  But schools like LSU can shoulder a good part of the blame.  A number of colleges receive as much as one third of their budget from the school’s endowment.  Money raising is big business at most universities, and LSU has a long list of wealthy alumni.  But until recently, asking for endowment dollars has been an afterthought by university officials. A majority of SEC schools have endowments that far outpace LSU.  

So there is lower than average tuition, free tuition for many, better than average faculty salaries, and a weak track record in money raising.  Higher education, particularly at the state’s flagship, needs strong and continuing financial support from the legislature. But colleges have a significant role to play in in raising endowment funds and better managing the annual budgeted funds paid by taxpayers.  Just asking for more money won’t get the job done.

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“Half the crowd in Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night can’t even spell LSU.”

      James Carville

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.  You can also hear Jim’s nationally syndicated radio show each Sunday morning from 9 am till 11:00 am, central time, on the Genesis Radio Network, with a live stream at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.

WHAT TO WATCH-THE SAINTS OR THE DEBATES?

September 22^nd, 2016

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

WHAT TO WATCH-THE SAINTS OR THE DEBATES?

Every now and then, we all face a “Sophie’s Choice” moment, where we have to pick what to accept and what to give up.  Folks down in the Bayou State soon will have to confront a real dilemma.  It’s a decision that will cause upheaval in many families all over Louisiana.  Politics or football?

You see, the first two presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will take place on a Monday night.  And that’s in direct conflict with Monday Night football.  This poses a particularly difficult problem for die-hard New Orleans Saints fans all over Louisiana. At the exact time that the Saints take on their arch-rival Atlanta Falcons in the Superdome, Clinton and Trump will be butting heads on rival TV networks.  What’s a Saints fan to do?

Sure, the presidential debates are important, but we are talking here about what, in Trump’s words, is something “HUGE” for Saints diehards, of whom there are many all over Louisiana.  The streets of New Orleans and many other Bayou gathering points will be filled with fans dressed in black and gold.  Who Dat will reverberate in offices throughout game day.  How could they schedule a presidential debate at a time when the Saints are to be highlighted across America?

Some one third of Americans will opt for football. The numbers will no doubt be higher in Louisiana with the home team in the mix.  And viewers face some tough questions. Which event do you DVR? If you are betting on the game, you will go nuts if you don’t watch it live. Do you tailgate or cook up a gumbo for a debate? And here’s a good question. What goes better with wings: football or politics?

Some voters are wondering how someone could even be concerned about such a choice.  Isn’t deciding on the leader of the free world more important than a Saints game?  To fully understand, an outsider has to discover that down in the Bayou State, weddings, funerals, and even births are scheduled around the Who Dat Nation’s game day schedule.

So is there a compromise to keep from having to make a choice? Yes, and it’s a good one. Remember now that there is a great deal of just waiting around in the average football game. Sportsgrid and other athletic publications estimate that there are only eleven actual minutes of playing time in a three and a half hour football game.  The rest of the time is spent on replays, huddles, time outs, commercials and half time breaks. So with so much free time, some are suggesting we combine the game and the debates.

I like this idea.  The officials stand around for long periods of time reviewing instant replays.  Flash to Clinton and Trump on the sidelines for their views on healthcare.  Timeouts allow for the candidates to give us a one-minute response and free trade.  At half time, Trump and Clinton could talk briefly about the economy, then critique the first two quarters of the game.

Am I being irreverent here about the importance of the coming election?  Actually I’m probably right on the money considering the degradation of how both candidates have been running their campaigns. TV ratings would be HUGE, and it would be a win-win for all viewers.  So don’t belittle me for the suggestion.

As the Wall Street Journal wrote this week: “Don’t act above it all.  Don’t act like you wouldn’t watch. Politicians come and go, but football is football.”

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.  You can also hear Jim’s nationally syndicated radio show each Sunday morning from 9 am till 11:00 am, central time, on the Genesis Radio Network, with a live stream at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.

THE DEMISE OF ENTERTAINING POLITICS IN LOUISIANA!

September 15^th, 2016

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

THE DEMISE OF ENTERTAINING POLITICS IN LOUISIANA!

I have a sad announcement to make.  Politics is just no fun anymore in Louisiana.

Reams of books have been written about the colorful characters that ran the Bayou state throughout its history.  And the average citizen got involved, attended rallies and actively supported their candidate of choice.  Few states could match the intensity and enthusiasm that was a part of Louisiana campaigning. The state’s two favorite pastimes were LSU football and Politics.

The two Longs who served as governor wanted to stay involved right up to the time of their deaths.  Huey Long was shot and died September 10, 1935, eleven days after his 42^nd birthday. His last words were, “God, don’t let me die. I have so much to do.”  Younger brother Earl Long was famously quoted as saying:  “Oh Lord, when I die, let me be buried in Louisiana, so I can stay active in politics.”

Retail politics used to be a basic part of any campaign.  No statewide candidate would fail to attend the Rice Festival in Crowley, the Watermelon Festival in Farmerville or the Strawberry Festival in Hammond.  There were thousands of hands to shake and voters galore who loved to be part of the campaign season.  I experienced the buzz and thrill of campaigning during my 28 years in public life.  Politics was just a lot of fun.

Most of my colleagues who served during my tenure going back to the 1970s ran for public office to serve and try to improve the quality of life for the voters they represented.  There was little thought of financial gain.  When I was first elected to the Louisiana State Senate back in the 1970s, I was paid $600 a month, with no office, staff or any other financial help. I represented a large part of Northeast Louisiana.  My phone bill in my district averaged $900 a month.  A campaign contribution of $100 was a big deal.

Today a political campaign is all about who can raise the most money.  TV drives the debate.  Political rallies are few, and you would be hard pressed to see a candidate for statewide office throwing candy and riding in a local parade.  If a candidate is leading in the polls, he or she often chooses not to even show up for debates.  So the public loses interest, voter participation is down, and voter distrust is on the rise.

Political parties in Louisiana are becoming more and more obsolete.  It has become obvious that any allegiance to a particular party is over.  Democrats make up 44.9% of registered voters, but a significant number rarely vote their party affiliation.  The fastest growing numbers of registered voters are independents that list themselves with no party affiliation. 

An interesting side note is that the last time a president was elected who was not either a Republican or a Democrat was Louisiana native Zachary Taylor, who won on the wig ticket back in 1848.

One of the problems in Louisiana and across the country is that extremists in both parties are dominating the political agenda.  Or as veteran Republican consultant Mac Stipanovich puts it, “Somehow you’ve got to destroy the myth that you don’t win if you’re not crazy enough.”  

And working across the aisles with a legislator from the opposing party is a thing of the past in a number of states including Louisiana.  A few years back, legislators would fight hard for their political beliefs during the day, but then spend time socializing and working towards some type of compromise when the working day was done.  No longer.  Today, if a lawmaker from the opposing party disagrees or has a contrary opinion, then he or she is dead wrong and often is considered a political enemy.

There’s a U.S. Senate race in Louisiana that few seem to care about, and both major candidates for president have high unfavorable ratings in the Bayou State.  The campaigns are just, well dull.  Don’t you miss the rhetoric and musings of Huey, Earl, Jimmy Davis, and even ole’ EWE?  Sad to say, the thrill is gone.  Let’s hope we can at least cheer on a winning Fighting Tiger team this year.

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“The taxpayers are sending congressmen on expensive trips abroad. It might be worth it except they keep coming back”

Will Rogers.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.  You can also hear Jim’s nationally syndicated radio show each Sunday morning from 9:00 am till 11:00 am Central Time on the Genesis Radio Network, with a live stream at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.

PROPERTY INSURANCE RATES GOING UP?

September 1^st, 2016

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

PROPERTY INSURANCE RATES GOING UP?

A local news reporter where I live posed the question this week as to whether insurance rates for property owners will begin to rise, following the recent South Louisiana flooding.  My answer was simple.  Of course they will go up.  In fact, the cost of insurance would have continued to go up even without the recent flood.  You see, that’s what happens in Louisiana.  Rain or no rain, flooding or no flooding, hurricanes or no hurricanes, the cost of insurance in the Bayou State continues to rise.

Remember now, there has been no major hurricanes out in the Gulf in almost a decade, and weather related insurances claims have been minimal.  In this most recent flooding, a large majority of the homes that were inundated with water damage had no flood insurance.  Insurance companies had very little exposure since homeowners’ polices do not include flood insurance. 

But despite minimal losses, the drumbeats for higher insurance rates have begun.  The Louisiana insurance department, that is supposed to be the watchdog for the consumer, is already talking about higher rates outside the flooded area far east as Slidell where no flooding took place. It would seem that both insurance companies and insurance regulators both subscribe to the old axiom, “You never let a good crisis go to waste.”

In recent years, Louisiana has never felt a compelling obligation to go to bat for insurance policy holders.  In most states, insurance companies are subject to a pre-approval process wherein the insurance department determines if the increase is warranted, so that the property owner can be assured that any increase is both fair and necessary.  But Louisiana is different. In the Bayou State, insurance companies are not required to get rate increases pre-approved.  So the answer to the question of how come big insurance companies can stick it to homeowners, whether or not such an increase is justified, is simply this — they do it because they can.

And some insurance companies don’t wait long following a disaster to push for rate increases.  Back in 1992 during my first term as insurance commissioner, Hurricane Andrew hit the Gulf Coast killing 17 people.  Louisiana’s largest insurance company at the time was the American International Group (AIG). Within 24 hours, the senor vice president sent out a memo to key company executives that read:  “Begin by calling your underwriters together and explaining the significance of the hurricane," he wrote in the two-paragraph memo. "This is an opportunity to get price increases now. We must be the first, and it begins by establishing the psychology with our own people. Please get it moving today."

There is little discussion about any long-range insurance rate help by legislators and other public officials.  One responsible voice in the regulatory wilderness is Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy, who has proposed a statewide flood insurance program to be a buffer beyond the current federal program. It’s a good idea for discussion where a small portion of each property insurance policy sold in Louisiana would go into a state fund to be used when there is major flooding in the state.

Kennedy, a candidate for Louisiana’s open U.S. Senate seat, is under political attack by several of his opponents for offering what they consider to be an unworkable and expensive solution to a major Louisiana problem.  But it just shows how naive these critics are when it comes to insurance issues.  Kennedy has made a good proposal that ought to be explored.

Unfortunately for Louisiana property owners, creative solutions to contain costs and give better insurance coverage has not been a priority by public officials in Baton Rouge.  The response seems to be to find a quick fix now, and let the Feds figure out what to do in the future.  But Louisiana is only going to be able to go to the federal trough so often.  Responsible state officials need to confect a much better insurance response.

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“It’s not hurricanes that are causing high insurance rates, but bad public policy.”

Policy Analyst Michelle Minton

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.  You can also hear Jim’s nationally syndicated radio show each Sunday morning from 9:00 am till 11:00 am Central Time on the Genesis Radio Network, with a live stream at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.