Baton Rouge Growth and Development

[itsjustme3]

EBR doesn't realize it but if the Mall of LA is annexed and st george dies off it will benefit ascension and Livingston parish. People will vote with their feet.

This.

The anti-St George dolts don't realize that annexing these areas doesn't do anything except push middle class families away.

Edited April 19, 2014 by itsjustme3

[Antrell Williams]

This.

The anti-St George dolts don't realize that annexing these areas doesn't do anything except push middle class families away.

Leaving issues standing will cause them to move away, not annexing.

[timelordnerd]

IMO Livingston is just experiencing a little boom...it won't last long once their schools go to sh!t. However based on recent activity in the capitol it looks like lawakers are trying to solve the education problem once and for all. In theory, if these plans go through, St. George fails (and is annexed, you know the Kip will find a way to annex it all), vastly improves the schools, keeps crime low, and starts putting more money towards infrastructure. This entire experience will be very positive for the city.

 

Granted that's a lot of "if's", but I think film is about to start playing a bigger role in the cities politics than ever. 

[Antrell Williams]

IMO Livingston is just experiencing a little boom...it won't last long once their schools go to sh!t. However based on recent activity in the capitol it looks like lawakers are trying to solve the education problem once and for all. In theory, if these plans go through, St. George fails (and is annexed, you know the Kip will find a way to annex it all), vastly improves the schools, keeps crime low, and starts putting more money towards infrastructure. This entire experience will be very positive for the city.

 

Granted that's a lot of "if's", but I think film is about to start playing a bigger role in the cities politics than ever. 

Little boom lol. It's been going for years and not stopping until EBR can get it's schools and crime under control.

 

Livingston schools will be worse when people stop moving there and begin moving out, leaving it for the "less fortunate" of the population. But that only happens if Baton Rouge can get it together.

 

"The Kip" as you like to call him, not a fan.

 

The idea of any company playing a bigger role in government is frightening, that's how you end up with Louisiana (Big Oil).

[garrett_225]

IMO Livingston is just experiencing a little boom...it won't last long once their schools go to sh!t. 

 

Bahaha. Don't hold your breath, pal. 

[itsjustme3]

IMO Livingston is just experiencing a little boom...it won't last long once their schools go to sh!t. However based on recent activity in the capitol it looks like lawakers are trying to solve the education problem once and for all. In theory, if these plans go through, St. George fails (and is annexed, you know the Kip will find a way to annex it all), vastly improves the schools, keeps crime low, and starts putting more money towards infrastructure. This entire experience will be very positive for the city.

Granted that's a lot of "if's", but I think film is about to start playing a bigger role in the cities politics than ever.

1) you clearly don't know what you're talking about if you think Livingston is just going through a little boom. That boom as you call it is middle class families fleeing East BR for lower taxes, lower crime rates and much better schools.

2) Lawmakers are doing what exactly to improve schools. Please share.

3) How exactly is annexing St George going to improve EBR schools when those awful schools are ALREADY run by East Baton Rouge? And annexing the mall of LA is going to reduce crime?

4) You don't know much about the film industry. The film industry goes where free tax money is. It started on the east coast in North Carolina in the mid 90's and then the state stopped giving them everything so the film industry shifted to Canada. Then Canada stopped giving them as much incentives. Now Louisiana is throwing money at the industry. Eventually the money will stop flowing as much and the industry will go somewhere else. Just research it and you'll have a better understanding.

[Antrell Williams]

4) You don't know much about the film industry. The film industry goes where free tax money is. It started on the east coast in North Carolina in the mid 90's and then the state stopped giving them everything so the film industry shifted to Canada. Then Canada stopped giving them as much incentives. Now Louisiana is throwing money at the industry. Eventually the money will stop flowing as much and the industry will go somewhere else. Just research it and you'll have a better understanding.

Can you explain California? Why haven't they ever left?

[timelordnerd]

1) you clearly don't know what you're talking about if you think Livingston is just going through a little boom. That boom as you call it is middle class families fleeing East BR for lower taxes, lower crime rates and much better schools.

2) Lawmakers are doing what exactly to improve schools. Please share.

3) How exactly is annexing St George going to improve EBR schools when those awful schools are ALREADY run by East Baton Rouge? And annexing the mall of LA is going to reduce crime?

4) You don't know much about the film industry. The film industry goes where free tax money is. It started on the east coast in North Carolina in the mid 90's and then the state stopped giving them everything so the film industry shifted to Canada. Then Canada stopped giving them as much incentives. Now Louisiana is throwing money at the industry. Eventually the money will stop flowing as much and the industry will go somewhere else. Just research it and you'll have a better understanding.

1.) Sure it's been going on for years, but I'm telling you it will not last much longer. It's like ]China, boom for now, bust for later. 

2.) Do you read the advocate? For the past week they have been working to find a solution

3.) Never said that

4.) Yes I know the industry follows the money, but ,they are still in Canada and as far as I know North Carolina never became the world capital. The key is that we need to be smart and keep them here. 

 

The big thing this state lacks is smart people, if we had smart people in office then St. George would have been annexed years ago and our schools would not be the sh!t holes that they are. I'm hoping that this whole thing will fix our schools and keep business/people here, TBH I would rather our schools and such to be fixed before everything downtown...but they never asked me. 

[garrett_225]

Can you explain California? Why haven't they ever left?

 

Few in Hollywood are optimistic about California's role in film and television. 

 

http://www.dailynews.com/business/20140104/why-tv-film-production-is-running-away-from-hollywood

[timelordnerd]

So now Louisiana is turning out to be the leading place for relocation? 

[itsjustme3]

Can you explain California? Why haven't they ever left?

The movie/tv industry in California will never really leave because that's where the huge tv/movie studios are and that's where the actors live. Film production on the other hand is a different story. It's not in a company's financial interests to film in California. Too many taxes.

1.) Sure it's been going on for years, but I'm telling you it will not last much longer. It's like ]China, boom for now, bust for later.

2.) Do you read the advocate? For the past week they have been working to find a solution

3.) Never said that

4.) Yes I know the industry follows the money, but ,they are still in Canada and as far as I know North Carolina never became the world capital. The key is that we need to be smart and keep them here.

The big thing this state lacks is smart people, if we had smart people in office then St. George would have been annexed years ago and our schools would not be the sh!t holes that they are. I'm hoping that this whole thing will fix our schools and keep business/people here, TBH I would rather our schools and such to be fixed before everything downtown...but they never asked me.

Absolutely nothing you said makes any sense so I'm going to pass on this. You clearly don't know what you're talking about. I know you think you do but it's obvious you don't.

[timelordnerd]

The movie/tv industry in California will never really leave because that's where the huge tv/movie studios are and that's where the actors live. Film production on the other hand is a different story. It's not in a company's financial interests to film in California. Too many taxes.

Absolutely nothing you said makes any sense so I'm going to pass on this. You clearly don't know what you're talking about. I know you think you do but it's obvious you don't.

Really? Look I have read some of your comments from years before I joined and you seem like a pretty cool guy. May main problem is why do you consistently say i have no idea about what I'm talking about? You asked me for proof of lawmakers trying to fix the schools, read the advocate it's all there. Next you mentioned the whole film industry thing, well the states industry has been growing since 2002. Now it's going faster and is showing no signs of stopping, at this point we are in direct competition and war with California. The last thing I talked about was how we needed more sensible people in government, we have lacked them for a while and it's getting old. So many of the problems we face now could have been avoided years ago. Now our politicians need to be smart and correct those mistakes be doing the following:

 

1.) More incentives to get more film out here

2.) Fixing of our school system in the city

3.) Improving state-wide infrastructure

4.) Working on increasing state industries (agriculture mainly)

 

With those four improvements a lot of change would be visible in the state and city. There did that make sense? 

[garrett_225]

So now Louisiana is turning out to be the leading place for relocation? 

 

Because we currently offer one of the most attractive incentives packages to filmmakers. When the money stops, they move to the next place. It's the new way. 

[ehyfield]

I would say to enjoy the employment opportunities while they're here.

[timelordnerd]

Because we currently offer one of the most attractive incentives packages to filmmakers. When the money stops, they move to the next place. It's the new way. 

Yes, but this Louisiana, the money does not stop until someone gets arrested. 

[Antrell Williams]

The movie/tv industry in California will never really leave because that's where the huge tv/movie studios are and that's where the actors live. Film production on the other hand is a different story. It's not in a company's financial interests to film in California. Too many taxes.

It seems Louisiana is trying to get to that point.

[Mr. Burnham]

State running low on money: 

 

 

 

The Advocate:

The Jindal administration asked State Treasurer John Kennedy for a $40 million funding seed this week to ensure higher education can pay its bills next month.

There’s just one problem: The state’s general fund is running at a $172 million deficit, meaning Kennedy already is shuffling dollars to keep the state in the black.

Kennedy can choose among an array of funds to plump up the general fund, which acts as the state’s primary checking account. He can borrow money set aside for highway improvements, the Lake Charles Civic Center, the Centroplex, New Orleans ferries and other expenses with accounts accessible by state government.

The catch is the dollars must be repaid by Aug. 14, including the $40 million that Kennedy now must grab for the state’s public colleges and universities.

“The general fund is in cash flow deficit as of today and is currently having to inter-fund borrow to meet daily cash flow needs. So the fulfillment of any seed funding request at this point would require the Treasury to inter-fund borrow that much further in order to meet that new ‘borrowing,’ ” Jason Redmond, deputy state treasurer, said Friday.

Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols, the governor’s chief budget adviser, said the seed for higher education is just a timing issue. The state funds colleges and universities on a month-to-month basis. Some revenue won’t be collected until the end of the fiscal year in June.

“We have requested the seed to fund higher education for May until the rest of the fourth quarter revenue can be collected. There is no cash flow issue associated with higher education funding,” Nichols said in a prepared statement.

The Legislative Fiscal Office predicted problems with higher education funding months ago. At the time, the office speculated schools could run out of their share of state funding by January.

The problem is a patchwork system of funding for higher education in this year’s $25.6 billion state budget. A variety of dollars need to fall into place in order for the funding to exist.

Roughly $340 million, or 40 percent of the funds colleges and universities expect to get from the state, is so-called “one-time” money. The “one time” money is supposed to materialize from property sales, legal settlements and back taxes the state expects to collect.

The money goes into the Overcollections Fund, then is transferred to schools.

As of October, schools were paying bills mainly out of the other pool of money available to them — the state general fund — rather than from the Overcollections Fund. As of Friday, key money from hospital leases and legal settlements still needs to materialize.

Jason Droddy, LSU’s director of external affairs, said he learned about the need for a treasury seed this week when the system requested $26 million in funding for May. The request excludes health care services.

Droddy said he sees no cause for concern.

“My understanding is they expect that request to be fulfilled by the treasury,” he said.

Edited April 26, 2014 by mr. bernham

[timelordnerd]

New life planned for damaged structures on Spanish Town Road: http://theadvocate.com/home/9002247-125/new-life-planned-for-damaged

 

Nice to see some restoration projects happening here, hopefully this will trigger more interest in this area.

[cajun]

It seems Louisiana is trying to get to that point.

When film studios are built, and the trade unions have more local representation and membership, Louisiana has "permanentized" the film industry as much as they can.

It takes an immense amount of money to start a sizable production company, and newer players that show promise are frequently bought out by larger players. With the shift from broadcast to broadband, things may change in the future. It should be easier to start a company like that than ever.

I still can't believe they allowed Comcast to acquire NBC Universal. That's a big blow to all Americans IMO. They won't give up the old model easily, and this probably means that most of the country will have third world broadband service for a long time. That's a huge obstacle for new net-based companies producing content (like Netflix, Amazon, etc).

Back to business credits: Tax breaks are the price to play in a lot of industries....and Louisiana is far, far from the only state participating.

I am not comfortable with any preference given by my government just to avoid tax reform.....but it is difficult to argue with that model in Louisiana, given the success the Jindal administration has seen attracting business to the state. The citizens seem to love the investment and his tactics (judging from his popularity). Future governors and mayors (republican or democrat) will follow that model for the foreseeable future. I'm honestly not sure if we'll see an end to that model in my lifetime. Texas would have to become far less competitive and less business friendly for that to change. I suppose that's possible. It happened to California.

Edited April 30, 2014 by cajun

[dan326]

How could Texas become less competitive?

[Mr. Burnham]

How could Texas become less competitive?

America goes green 

[cajun]

How could Texas become less competitive?

The same way California has become less competitive. They can hike taxes and go overboard with regulation to the point of making it a difficult place to conduct business and a more expensive place to live than it should be.

Toyota Motor, USA. is just one of countless large firms that have fled California or New York to lower their tax burden and reduce costs.

[Mr. Burnham]

The same way California has become less competitive. They can hike taxes and go overboard with regulation to the point of making it a difficult place to conduct business and a more expensive place to live than it should be.

Toyota Motor, USA. is just one of countless large firms that have fled California or New York to lower their tax burden and reduce costs.

Louisiana could and should do the same (slash taxes). I could see Louisiana and Texas really giving the nation a literal run for it's money if they teamed up and took up more companies.

[buckett5425]

^sounds good in principle...until other states also slash taxes and the effective corporate tax rate through states across the country becomes almost zero. At that point, who wins?

 

Definitely not Louisiana, once other states have matched our low corporate taxes, other factors such as quality of life, education, social mobility and crime will become the biggest factor in locating a companies workforce so they may provide their employees with the best environment to recruit the best talent. Louisiana ranks poorly in categories affecting quality of life and education, etc. and surely those companies won't stick around.

 

[Mr. Burnham]

^sounds good in principle...until other states also slash taxes and the effective corporate tax rate through states across the country becomes almost zero. At that point, who wins?

 

Definitely not Louisiana, once other states have matched our low corporate taxes, other factors such as quality of life, education, social mobility and crime will become the biggest factor in locating a companies workforce so they may provide their employees with the best environment to recruit the best talent. Louisiana ranks poorly in categories affecting quality of life and education, etc. and surely those companies won't stick around.

 

Quality of life should always come first. That's what the state needs to work on more than anything.