Gatti
Voter Guide for 2014
Many of you have texted
or emailed about a voter guide for the amendments and a breakdown of Bossier
Elections. Here is a breakdown of the
ballot for Bossier Parish. I strongly suggest that you print
and view a sample ballot by putting in your precinct at the following website:
http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/GetElectionInformation/ReviewSampleBallots/Pages/default.aspx
This is a full ballot
on a Tuesday, so please have your cheat sheet ready. Expect long lines because as most will not
have read ahead of time. You should be
in an out of the ballot in less than a minute if you are prepared. The only race not listed below is justice of the
peace in your area. A one page vote sheet is provided below. Thanks in advance for forwarding this link to
your friends.
THE BALLOT
I.
Candidates
US
Senate: This is a
tough race. Landrieu is a senior senator
running for re-election. Cassidy and Maness are providing opposition. This will be a close race, but Landrieu will
most likely win in a three way race.
US
Representative:
John Fleming (R) should
easily win re election.
Public
Service Commission:
Foster Campbell (D) should
win this easily.
District
Attorney: Schuyler Marvin is running for re-election. He has served the district well and should
win easily.
City
Marshall: This is an
open seat vacated because Lynn Austin is not running for re-election. This position was held by Johnny Wyatt for
many years. Jim Whitman will win not only because he has been with the Marshall’s
office but mainly because his wife cooks all the ribs, brisket and turkey
at Silver Star.
II.
Amendments:
Many people think the
legislators are trying to make the State Constitution so convoluted and
confusing through the amendment process that one day soon a Constitutional Committee
will have to be called and rewrite it.
As such, all amendments should receive a NO vote. Only three of this year’s amendments correct
issues that should rise to the level of a change or amendment to the
constitution. Full breakdown of amendments here:
Constitutional
Amendment 1: Trust fund. Vote NO. This law is an admission that we cannot
budget as a state. We have to tell
legislators not to raid Medicaid as a way to pay for festivals. We should not have to tell the legislature
that the elderly and disabled are a top priority. This is much like Pontius Pilate letting the crowd
decide. A no vote should send a message
that the legislature needs to fix our budget process and not use the
constitution amendment system as a vehicle to do so.
Constitutional
Amendment 2: Trust fund. Vote NO . This is a not proper for a constitutional
amendment. This would fund some
providers but not all providers.
Constitutional
Amendment 3: Privatizing tax
collections. Vote NO. This is an area of government that should not
be privatized. Motive for profit could
interfere with due process rights.
Constitutional
Amendment 4: Creating a State Bank. Vote NO. Last thing we need in our state is a state
run bank. If state cannot budget and get
it financing through regular channels, then it sure as heck should not be
allowed to create its own bank.
Constitutional
Amendment 5: Change mandatory retirement
age. Vote NO. 70 is the current limit. The law wants to eliminate the retirement age
meaning a judge can serve until death.
There are no term limits on judges, the 70 year rule is the only restriction
and it is a fair restriction.
Constitutional
Amendment 6: Orleans Parish Millage
Rates. Vote NO. If this passes everyone that pays taxes will
suffer in New Orleans.
Constitutional
Amendment 7: Homestead Exemption for
Veterans Clarification. Vote YES.
This is proper and should pass.
Constitutional
Amendment 8: Artificial Reef Fund. Vote NO. This would elevate another part of the budget
to constitutionally protected status.
Vote no.
Constitutional
Amendment 9: Disabled and Taxes. Vote YES. This is a clarification of the tax code to
protect the disabled.
Constitutional
Amendment 10: Steal your home act. Vote
NO. This
would reduce your chance to redeem your property from three years to 18
months. This is being pushed by those
that want to steal family land to get the mineral rights. If this passes, it
means your could lose title to family land before you even know that you owe
the taxes. Currently if you or your
heirs don’t pay for local and parish property taxes for three years, then you
could lose TITLE to that property. This
law would shorten that period to 18 months.
Constitutional
Amendment 11: Increase size of
Government. Vote NO. We don’t need a Department of Elderly Affairs
with 100 bureaucrats running it to take care of the elderly. The elderly in our state would be better off
if we just took that money we are going to waste on a agency and divide by the
number of elderly and give it to them. We
just need the state to do the job with what it has. No creation of a new government agency.
Constitutional
Amendment 12: Wildlife Commission
Membership. Vote NO. This should not be in the constitution in the
first place.
Constitutional
Amendment 13: Ninth Ward Property. Vote YES. State must sell this devastated property. Private investors can make it work.
Constitutional
Amendment 14: Tax Issues. Vote NO.
III.
LOCAL TAXES:
Vote
NO on all Parish Taxes
PW Millage Renewal - 7.57 Mills - PJ - 10 Yrs.
PW Council on Aging - 1 Mill - PJ - 10 Yrs.
PW Shreveport-Bossier Conv. & Tour. Bur. - 2% Tax - BOD - 24 1/2 Yrs.
Cypress-Black Bayou Rec. & Wtr. Dist. - 1.54 Mills - BOC - 10 Yrs.
IV.
School Board
Tammy
Smith (Benton Area)
Eric Newman (Parkway Area)
