Legislators Want Input On Projects (Carter-Peterson: "We Have Had No input")
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- A legislative committee, unhappy with the way Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration proposes spending $430 million in federal transportation stimulus money, rejected the plan Friday and told state transportation officials to come back with a revised proposal. A request to approve the money failed 6-7 among Senate members of the panel. A roll call of House members was not taken because members of both chambers on the committee had to approve the cash.

Those voting against using the money were: Sens. Edwin Murray, D-New Orleans; Sherri Cheek, R-Shreveport; Nick Gautreaux, D-Abbeville; Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport; Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte; Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia; and Francis Thompson, D-Delhi. Voting to approve the money were Michot; and Sens. Sharon Weston Broome, D-Baton Rouge; Jack Donahue, R-Covington; Gerald Long, R-Winnfield; John Smith, D-Leesville; and Mike Walsworth, R-West Monroe.

"We certainly are not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but there are a number of questions" about the plan from lawmakers, Michot said.

"We have had no input," complained House Speaker Pro Tem Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans. "Maybe in two weeks you can invite us to a briefing (on how the money can be used). We all want jobs in our areas." Peterson complained that there were no Orleans Parish projects on a list of $1.3 billion in proposed highway construction items compiled by Ankner in January when the federal stimulus bill was still being debated by Congress. "The parish of Orleans was not at the starting gate, so how can you cross the finish line?"

Ankner said there were no projects in New Orleans that were ready for bidding and construction in the time constraints of the federal program.

"How could that ever happen?" asked Murray, amazed that no New Orleans projects were ready to go. "You do realize that people in Orleans Parish pay taxes?" "This is the worst I have ever seen," Thompson said of the way the projects were selected. "Why do we have to have a rush-up deal like this? There is no equity . . . Over three-fourths of the money is spent south of I-10. . . . I feel like the rural areas of the state have been disenfranchised. Every parish in the state should have been included. Every citizen in this state should have been a part of this package."