Issue Position: Better Government for a Better Louisiana

Issue Position

When it comes to transparency and accountability in government Louisiana has come a long way, but we can still do much better.

National newspapers aren't filled with scandalous headlines about Louisiana politicians any more. Our state government isn't the butt of every joke about government corruption. For the most part, the politicians in Washington have taken over those distinctions.

However, there is a long way between not being an embarrassing laughing stock and being a state government that is as open, honest, transparent and accountable as it should be.

There are four areas where we can improve state government almost immediately:

1. Forcing all levels of state government to be more open and accountable.
2. Bringing the government to the people so their concerns can be heard.
3. Cleaning up ethics abuses by candidates and officeholders.
4. Beefing up ethics violation enforcement.

Open and Accountable

Frankly, the process of making the state government more open and transparent needs to start with the Office of the Governor. I was the only gubernatorial candidate who went to the Legislature this year to testify in favor of a bill that removed the "deliberative process" exception that Governor Jindal has used to avoid transparency in this office. Now, abuse of this process will end. The records of the executive branch, including the Office of the Governor, need to be made open and available upon request. Both the Legislature and the public have a right to know how decisions in state government are being made.

As Governor, I will do this immediately. I will open up the records not only of my office, but of all branches of state government that try to hide behind loopholes in the current disclosure law. At the same time, I'll work with the Legislature to create an open records law that forces future governors to keep their records open to the public.

Making records more open is a good first step, but I'll go further to make sure the people of Louisiana know what I'm doing by posting my public schedule online. The people of Louisiana have a right to know who I'm meeting with, when I'm traveling out of state, and where I'm going to be. Public service should start by being public.

Bringing Government to the People

That has to change.

As Governor, I'll bring state government to the people. I will hold regional office hours all across the state, giving people in every corner of Louisiana a chance to share their concerns, hear about what is going on and maybe even offer a solution or two to the problems facing our state. It won't cost more money. I'll simply use existing state office space so that people won't have to come to Baton Rouge to see their Governor.

Every time someone sees the Governor, he shouldn't be asking for their vote. Sometimes he should be asking their opinion.

Cleaning Up Abuses

There is simply too much money being spent to influence lawmakers. Since 2009, state records show that lobbyists have spent more than $3 million entertaining legislators and executive branch employees. However, only 21% of the lobbyist filings name the individual on whom the money was spent.

And it is not just money spent by lobbyists that tarnishes the system. Contributions to political campaigns and so called Super PACs are part of the problem as well.

There will always be money in politics- it is a fact of life. But we should do more to ensure that money doesn't have a corrupting influence. As Governor, I will:

1. Force lobbyists to identify individual lawmakers or government employees who they spend money entertaining.
2. End the practice of candidates and officeholders using campaign contributions for personal perks.
3. Eliminate individual ethics exemptions designed to allow a single person or small group of people to skirt the state's ethics laws.
4. Tighten the rules allowing communication and coordination between candidates, their campaigns, and Super PACs that support them.
5. Stop the revolving door between government and lobbyists by expanding lobbying prohibitions.
6. Ban state employees from overseeing contracts with their former employers.
7. Ban state employees from immediately going to work for companies that receive state contracts.

Jay's Plan for LA Ethics

Beefing Up Enforcement

Currently, the Board of Ethics spends too much time on minor infractions, like filing reports a day or two late, and not enough time investigating major violations. There are two hard realities driving this. First, the Board of Ethics doesn't have the resources to properly investigate complex violations by candidates, lobbyists and elected officials. Second, given the state's fiscal crisis there just isn't more state revenue to spend on expanding the board.

That is why we really have to create a self-sustaining system where the candidates and lobbyists pay for the oversight that we so desperately need. I propose three ways of increasing funding for the Board of Ethics without any additional taxpayer dollars:

1. Assess 1% fee on campaign finance filings with a $100,000 exemption so that small campaigns and under-funded campaigns are not affected. Candidates for Governor alone this year are expected to raise and spend more than $10 million. Putting $100,000 of that to help improve the system would be a step in the right direction.
2. Increase fees on lobby registration. Lobbyists spend millions of dollars entertaining legislators and members of the executive branch. Their registration fees should contribute to funding the enforcement of ethics regulations.
3. Increase fines and penalties for severe ethics violations. If we are to be taken seriously about cleaning up state government then we need to make sure that breaking ethics laws isn't met with a just a slap on the wrist, but a punishment worthy of the crime.

As Governor, Jay Dardenne will push for a better ethics. Sign up today for more of Jay's innovative plans for together creating a better Louisiana.

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