Council rejects Holden proposal
by Rebekah Allen - Advocate (excerpt)

The Metro Council on Wednesday unanimously approved spending $200,000 in discretionary funds for two law enforcement programs over objections from Mayor-President Kip Holden’s administration, which had intended to use that money for a lobbyist contract.

The council approved $150,000 from the discretionary account to launch Operation Ceasefire, an anti-crime program that targets gun violence, and $50,000 for another two-week trial of an around-the clock misdemeanor jail.

The money the council appropriated for the law enforcement programs was originally budgeted to pay for a $200,000 contract with Patton Boggs, a Washington, D.C., lobbyist that has represented the city-parish for the past few years.