Editorial on TOPS that uses red snapper management as example

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Edwards’ willingness to punish Louisianans by sacrificing good policy to further his tax-and-spend agenda extends beyond big-ticket items. When trying to convince lawmakers and the public that without increased taxes the state faces a crisis, no matter is too picayunish, as his actions regarding fisheries management demonstrate.

Legislation by U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves garnering bipartisan support would transfer management of red snapper from the federal government to Louisiana and four other states. Until this year, all five states had expressed support of the bill, which seeks to correct bias toward commercial interests that results in a prematurely short recreational fishing season. This spring, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, which establishes policy, unanimously resolved to support it.

However, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Charlie Melancon, an Edwards appointee who implements policy and manages personnel, opposed the resolution. Subsequently, even though Edwards had indicated publicly that he would reappoint Commissioner Julie Hebert prior to her authorship of the resolution, he didn’t. Melancon complained that assuming administrative responsibilities without federal aid would cost too much, despite the department recently having raised a fee to pay for saltwater fish management. Melancon claimed his predecessor, who supported the bill, had hired too many people, eating into those proceeds.

This excuse seems fishy. Melancon has wide discretion in managing a Cabinet department that has more self-generated revenues (two-thirds) than does any other secretary’s. He could rearrange dollars without service reductions if he wanted to. Instead, he’s arguing that the state can’t afford to pursue desirable policy unless taxes go up.

These incidents big and small show Edwards’ eagerness to try to hurt the public as a form of payback for not getting his way on growing government. Any suffering that results could pressure lawmakers to go along with Edwards in the future. Petty reactions like his have no place in governing the state.

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