re: Anyone Get to Observe One of the St. George Petition Signings?

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I'm just curious what vested interest Russian has in this argument. Its the same rhetoric every time St. George is brought up. Surely he stands to lose something by this potential change?

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I'd say he's either seeking a city council seat. Is associated with the EBRP School Board, or is a poli sci major.

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Every single cent belongs to taxpayers. Even one cent misused is an abuse and should not be tolerated in any way. This lackadaisical attitude is what allows city council members to treat our tax coffers as a personal piggy bank.

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I remember when I still believed in Santa Claus, too....

You're right, but you're not realistic.

Besides, I was going to let it go because I don't know who actually paid for that key to the city but since you brought it up again, it wasn't given to him by the mayor.

It went along with an award given to R. Kelly by the BR chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People for Kelly's work addressing violence among inner city youth.

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As the audience applauded the end, a representative each from the NAACP and the city of Baton Rouge came out to award R. Kelly with the NAACP's 2013 Unsung Hero Award and a key to the city.

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LINK

I think it was one of the council women who gave him the key based on this photo. I'm not sure who she is, but I think she is one of the inner city councilwomen. There was no report if R. Kelly molested her during the presentation.....

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I can't wait for SG to happen just to spite you and for no other reason.

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Your words are hurtful...

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Nothing in your diatribe of posts support your statement about what you claimed I said.

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Your failure to comprehend is not my responsibility.

That's C. Denise Marcelle.

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Just when BR is really on an upswing

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Really?

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I'm not sure who she is, but I think she is one of the inner city councilwomen.

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Tip me off if you're feigning again, just so I'll know.

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I'm just curious what vested interest Russian has in this argument.

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I've posted my reasons several times on the Poli Board but since I don't remember you ever participating in those any of those threads, I'll repeat what I've said.

1) I don't believe the solution to improving Baton Rouge is to create another large layer of government within the parish.

2) I believe in less government, not more government is in the best interests of all of us.

3) I believe if the parish is divided in half with two cities of almost equal geographic size, we will end up competing for the same resources, new businesses and employers. This will also lead, IMO, to companies having even more bureaucracy to satisfy just to do business in EBR. The article in the paper this week about LSU considering asking their south campus be incorporated into BR rather than taking a chance on being included in a new city of SG tends to confirm my opinion on this.

4) I believe we will see the DOJ and federal courts reenter our school system again if a large segment of our population forms its own school district which would dilute the minority voters in SG. We just got out from under a fed court running our school system in 2009 after almost 50 years. That period destroyed our school system. For the first time last school year we saw an improvement in the school ratings in EBR. Not good enough, but it's a start. Anyone who thinks the DOJ will not consider filing a suit preventing the breakaway is not being realistic. So even if a breakaway happens, I think it is highly likely it will be killed via the Voting Rights Act leaving only even more hard feelings and division within the parish.

5) I have no financial interest tied to BR or SG. All of my company's work is international in scope and revenues.

I hope this helps explain my concerns.

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don't dare accuse him of lying.

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The only proven liar in this thread is BugAC.

But, you're right, I don't like to be accused of lying when I know I haven't. Do you?

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a home value of $150k

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Seriously? What OT poster lives in a $150K house in EBR??? Try $250, $300K and $350K and redo your numbers.

And you're forgetting there are commercial property owners involved who pay 1.5X the residential rate of property taxes without a homestead exemption. And a significant % of homeowners in SG don't have children in school but they have to pay the taxes, too.

But my biggest complaint with the organizers is that they are telling the people of SG that NO NEW TAXES will be needed for either the new city or the new school system, in spite of their claims they will build 6 new schools in the district.

If they were just honest, I'd support anyone who wants to follow them. But most folks are hearing "we'll give you more but you won't have to pay anymore taxes for it" and they are blindly following them.