'BUSINESS REPORT' ENDORSES MAYOR'S BOND PROPOSAL
by Rolfe McCollister - Baton Rouge Business Report (excerpt)

The bond election we face on Nov. 14 is a huge decision for Baton Rouge, but many voters seem to be prepared to make the call based on questions like, “What’s in it for me?” or “How much will it cost us?” That’s normal in a tax election—and it’s human nature, too [looking out for No. 1].

But the fact is, our community’s finest moments—when we shined in the national spotlight—were those when we focused on others and on the “greater good,” as we did post-Katrina and post-Gustav. We weren’t average in our compassion or mediocre in our response to those in need. Our community was excellent and awe-inspiring, and I know I swelled with pride when folks I met elsewhere heard I was from Baton Rouge. The nation was impressed. We stood out as a community—and it felt great.

I also remember sitting in the New Orleans Superdome with my family in 2003 and 2007 as we watched the LSU Tigers capture the BCS championship. It was the exhilaration of watching our team excel and finish as the best in the nation. There is something special about being exceptional, instead of simply mediocre.

COMMENTARY: THE ADVOCATE endorsed it earlier this week.