What specifically has Jindal done that the state will be reaping the benefits from for years to come?
For one he hired a damn strong Secratary of Exonomic Development. the biggest project under Blanco was a Wal-mart. Billion dollar projects are the norm now. The state is adding jobs at a rate of 38000 per year. After decades of brain drain we are seeing net in migration. Our business climate is vastly improved. 10 years ago we had no entertainment economy. Now we have the third largest film industry, a exploding digital media industry and a burgeoning recording industry.
Supa....Jindal tried to kill the movie tax credit. Be realistic. And, I want to believe you about jobs, etc. What do you base those statistics on? I know that New Orleans is being recognized as a job growth sector. Are you counting medical jobs from the New Orleans development? Politicians like to count chickens before they hatch.
As important as the economy is, I tend to dismiss claims of credit for good times and blame for bad times for 3 main reasons. 1) The economy cycles up and down no matter who is president/governor. 2) There is a variable time lag between policy enactment and effect on the economy. For example Reagan's bankrupting of Russia and "Trickle down" economics didn't produce economic fruit until Clinton was president. I'm sure you and Kyle would agree with that. 3) As much as You, I or anyone knows about economics, the business cycle, Money supply, etc. There are Nobel prize winning economists who are THE word's experts on the economy....and they argue endlessly about the Truth. Who are you and I and where do we fit in with having valid and absolute opinions on the economy? That's why I base my voting decisions on anything BUT economic issues. How can you prove that this economic growth that you claim exists is because of Jindal? Maybe it had to do with the Post Katrina infusion of massive federal dollars and the economy of rebuilding New Orleans AND South Louisiana?
On a much lighter note....comparing Jindal's accomplishments to Blanco's..... why not compare them to Nagin's (LOL)
Also, as far as the business climate improving....I agree with you whole heartedly. I relocated my restaurant from Abita to New Orleans and I heard all the horror stories about what you need to do to get Permits Licenses, etc. Being forced to take in the right minority partners, etc. And these stories were from people who had small and very small businesses. I have to honestly say that I have experienced NONE of that. In fact, the business climate is great in New Orleans. I have got nothing but full cooperation, encouragement, support and help from my city councilperson and her economic development liaison. I believe it is 100% the result of the US attorney's office's success at discovering business crime, prosecuting it, gaining convictions that reap huge and severe sentences. Also New Orleans has a very independent and aggressive inspector general. Does the governor have any direct affect on appointing the US attorney and inspector general, or does his affect fall in the realm of indirect moral suasion ??
That depends on who you talk to. The film lobby said his proposed changes, which were to cap credits on expenditures that had a smaller economic impact, like producer fees, director salaries, and actor salaries, would have been dreadful. The studios were not as concerned because very few of the films they produce would be effected by the proposals. The independents were a mixed bag on the program changes. The tax credit does indeed create a ton of jobs. The economic impact analysis on the state film office's website said it has created about 15,000 jobs since 2010. Being in the field I would guess that may be a tad under the actual number. The Louisiana Workforce Commission has a ton of jobs reports on their websites. These are the BLS reports from the Federal DOL. the economic development agency also has a slew of reports on their website, both internally generated and independently generated. Louisiana economic quarterly is a good source, and I think you can read it on LEDs website.
I have to give the Jindal administration credit for putting Louisiana in the top 10 !!!! Gov. Bobby Jindal's wife, Supriya, makes Vanity Fair's list of top 10 best-dressed political wives http://www.nola.com/living/baton-ro...obby_jindals_wife_supriya.html#incart_m-rpt-2
