Louisiana 2014 amendments

Hope this helps some of you early voters. A non partisian view of the amendments we will vote on.

http://www.parlouisiana.com/dynaengine/loadDocument.cfm?site=1002087&doc=par2014amends1stedition.pdf

Thanks for sharing this.

Thanks I was looking for something like this a few days ago.

Thanks

More state "Constitutional" Amendments = Not good for us in the long run!

We need to alter the "guiding" Constitutional instrument of the state to guarantee 2 of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commissioners are from above I-10? Really?

This stupidity will never end!

I received the attached opinion of a conservative friend, earlier this week:

YES on 3 , 7 & 14 - NO on Everything Else
Here are my recommendations on the 14 Constitutional Amendments that will be on the Ballot on November 4 in Louisiana.
Basically, granting constitutional protection to any industry or special interest is a bad idea. These amendments propose to constitutionally protect hospitals, nursing homes, the elderly, artificial reefs, and more. None of this should be in our constitution. I'll vote yes on 3, 7 and 14. And "No" on the rest.
Amendment 1. No. This is an awful proposal It would REQUIRE the state legislature to appropriate ever increasing funds to the Medicaid Trust Fund.
The idea is to help nursing homes. This would gently nudge folks out of home care and into institutions. This is NOT what our government should be doing.
Some have indicated that this "help" for nursing homes might be related to the significant campaign contributions nursing home PACs provide to politicians. (see quote below) It would NOT help those who opt for in-home care.
Just ask This Mom with a Disabled Son or this writer from Bossier City. This amendment would favor nursing homes over home-based care and is the opposite of what we should be doing now. So - please vote No.
Amendment 2. No. This proposal would increase federal spending, create another new fund (the Hospital Stabilization Fund)
It would inappropriately grant a constitutional protection for hospitals. Rolphe McColllister and the Baton Rouge Business Report has this one just right. The Hospital Lobby loves this proposal. You should vote against it.
Amendment 3. YES. This proposal would continue allowing cities to privatize the process of selling government property and collecting delinquent taxes. More and more municipalities are taking advantage of the many benefits of privatization. 43 municipalities in the state already do so.
Our current state constitution is ambiguous. And there was a recent La. Supreme Court decision that further muddies the waters.
This amendment would clear up ambiguities and allow municipalities to continue to allow 3rd parties to assist in these matters.
Amendment 4. No. This Amendment would fund an agency that does not exist. And it would cost $300,000 to $400,000 per year. This is a Nancy Pelosi-style proposal: FIRST put it into the constitution and THEN find out what it's all about. Just say No.
Amendment 5. Not Yet. Elimination of the mandatory retirement age of judges. One of the great problems in America is liberal judges. I oppose this amendment only because judges are exempt from recall and have no term limits. I'm not a proponent of mandatory retirement ages. But bad judges are hard to defeat at the polls. Allow us to recall judges and I'll favor eliminating mandatory retirement ages. Vote No on 5.
Amendment 6. No. The proposal would allow higher property tax for police and fire protection in Orleans Parish. Orleans already has the highest general and special millage caps in the state. There is a reason these caps are in the state constitution - to limit taxation. We should be decreasing these caps, not increasing them. New Orleans can find money for police & fire by cutting spending on frivolous items.
Amendment 7. YES. Property tax exemption for certain disabled veterans. This is a very difficult issue for conservatives. While property tax exemptions are a bad idea, providing veterans with the Veterans Administration is a worse idea. Instead of the VA -- an Inefficient, Corrupt bureaucracy -- qualified disabled veterans should have choices, such as tax credits for their health care, or other similar benefits.
This proposal would clear up a conflict between state and federal provisions and it is a move in the right direction. Next step: abolish the VA & provide qualified veterans with tax credits for health insurance.
Amendment 8. No. This would grant constitutional protection to the Artificial Reef Development fund. Please stop all these constitutional exceptions. And stop all these funds. Make the legislature vote on spending matters. Vote No.
Amendment 9. No. Tax exemption for the permanently disabled. NO WAY. I am so tired of all the ads enticing citizens to apply for "disability." And now they want to make sure of just a bit more convenience in a tax exemption that they should not have. STOP THE MADNESS. Please vote no on this.
Amendment 10. No to quicker Tax sales of "blighted" property. It is fashionable for big-government proponents to be concerned about "blighted" property. This makes it easier to get these properties in the hands of their buddies.
Over the years, lawmakers have reduced the time granted to taxpayers to redeem their property. This would further reduce the time from 3 years to 18 months. THESE QUICK SALE SCHEMES ARE FULL OF ABUSE. Vote no.
Amendment 11. No. Increases the number of state departments from 20 to 21. Another Bureaucracy? Heck no.
Amendment 12. No. We have a convoluted system for the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Commission districts. This would make the LWF scheme even more convoluted. If we want ordinary districts for LWF, then do so. It's a convoluted solution to a convoluted system. Vote no and make them do it right.
Amendment 13. Double Heck No. Sell Orleans Lower Ninth Ward vacant property at lower than market value. Wow. I can't believe they have the audacity to propose this. This is such a blatant proposal for favoritism that it is embarrassing that it is even on the ballot. This would allow Orleans officials to sell vacant property at below market value! Who voted to allow this on the ballot?
Amendment 14. Yes. This proposal would limit Crony Capitalism proposals for Tax rebates, incentive and abatements. This proposal would limit numerous crony capitalist proposals to fiscal only legislative sessions, instead of every year. It's time to say no to crony capitalism.

Easier to vote NO on all of them.

JadeRaven said:

Easier to vote NO on all of them.

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Better to know what you are voting on than a blanket swath of No votes. I have seen amendments written so a No vote = Yes. Not to mention several of these amendments benefit veterans.

CEHollier said:

Better to know what you are voting on than a blanket swath of No votes. I have seen amendments written so a No vote = Yes. Not to mention several of these amendments benefit veterans.

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Which is why ballot issues written in that manner should be tossed in the garbage at the Registrar's office. We used to teach our kids in school that double negatives are not good grammar, yet we allow agenda driven politicians to put forth a, no means yes choice? Yep, nothing to hide there!

But I digress in retrospect, irregardless!

CEHollier said:

Better to know what you are voting on than a blanket swath of No votes. I have seen amendments written so a No vote = Yes. Not to mention several of these amendments benefit veterans.

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I believe voting no on all 14 amendments this year is a no-vote on each one.

With all respect for our veterans, IMO the veterans need to pay their property tax like everyone else. Already in Louisiana disabled vets are allowed double the homestead exemption that everyone else gets.

Thanks for posting. My wife and I were discussing how we needed a comprehensive guide to the proposed amendments. This is just what we need.

JadeRaven said:

I believe voting no on all 14 amendments this year is a no-vote on each one.

With all respect for our veterans, IMO the veterans need to pay their property tax like everyone else. Already in Louisiana disabled vets are allowed double the homestead exemption that everyone else gets.

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Yes! However I will go one better for our "disabled" vets. Let's take the bazillions of dollars that is being defrauded by phony disability claims away from those law breaking sacks of s**t, and give it to the actual "disabled" vets, since we are pissing it away and no one, and I mean no one, seems to care that it is easier for a scumbag to fraudulently get disability in this country than it is to get a driver's license.

Emperor said:

Yes! However I will go one better for our "disabled" vets. Let's take the bazillions of dollars that is being defrauded by phony disability claims away from those law breaking sacks of s**t, and give it to the actual "disabled" vets, since we are pissing it away and no one, and I mean no one, seems to care that it is easier for a scumbag to fraudulently get disability in this country than it is to get a driver's license.

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Yep! It's pathetic. There has to be some way to weed out and/or prosecute all of the worthless people with fraudulent claims. It's so widespread that a lot of people harbor automatic doubt and resentment toward anyone with a claimed disability who doesn't readily appear disabled, which is really sad.