Your Louisiana Legislature is about to waste the Deepwater Horizon Money

LINK

quote:

---

Louisiana is set to get about $700 million in the next 13 years as settlement for the 2010 Gulf oil spill. The money is scheduled to arrive in $53 million yearly increments. Under a 2014 state law, 45% of the money goes to Louisiana's rainy day fund, 45% to the Medicaid Trust Fund and 10% to the Health Trust Fund.

---

The money should have gone to coastal restoration, but whatever, at least it's being saved.

quote:

---

Edwards said the settlement is to reimburse the state for expenses, not to address damages caused along the coast.

---

Sounds like what comes out of the south-bound end of a north-bound horse. Every single one of us both know, damn good and well that 1) the state damn well doesn't have 700 million of unreimbursed expenses, and 2) That money, if not spent on response, would have never, ever been spent on roads originally, especially not these two projects.

If the state can't keep their hands off of the money and at least save it / pay down debt, and won't spend it on coastal restoration, then at least 100 percent of the money should go to help the people affected by the spill.

The elevated highway between Golden Meadow and Leeville probably qualifies under that idea. No damn way the 415 connector, no got damn way.

quote:

---

The vote was 97-4 and followed several failed attempts to to re-divvy the money.

---

Vote every single one of them out of office this fall.