Bill would halt taxpayer-funded union activism

By   /  February 4, 2013  /  Accountability, Ethics, Federal Government, Issues, Louisiana, National, Open Records, Politics, Politics & Elections, Power Abuse, Public records, public sector, State Government, State Politics, Transparency, U.S. House, unions  /  4 Comments

THE COST OF ACT 10: The Madison school district revealed a draft budget this week that includes a 7.4 percent tax increase. (AP photo)

Try asking your boss if you can help organize a political protest and shout down opposing viewpoints during company time and at company expense. If you’re like most Americans, chances are good that’d be the second-to-the-last conversation you’d have with a company official — right before the one that leads to cleaning out your desk.

But unionized government workers are not like most Americans.

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CO: Voter-reg group for the dead, pets, kids says efforts have been applauded

By   /  September 27, 2012  /  2012 General Election, Colorado, Elections, Featured, Federal Government, Florida, Louisiana, National News, New Mexico, Northwest, Politics, Politics & Elections, Virginia, Vote 2012, Voter Fraud, Washington, Wisconsin  /  1 Comment

graveyard

By Tori Richards | Colorado Watchdog
DENVER — A voter registration group accused of registering corpses, children and family pets says it has made changes that would steer it clear of fraud, yet last month it mailed a solicitation condemned by the Louisiana secretary of state in July.
In response to a Watchdog story in which attorneys general [...]

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Cities, town giving away money to Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s

By   /  September 19, 2012  /  Alabama, Business, California, County Government, Featured, Free Market, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, News, Open Records, South Carolina, Texas, Uncategorized, West Virginia  /  13 Comments

LARGESS: Bass Pro Shops received $1.3 billion in local and state assistance during a 15-year period.

By Scott Reeder | Watchdog.org
BOSSIER CITY, LA — When Bill Winkler opened his small archery shop, he was prepared to compete against businesses large and small, but not against a government-financed competitor.
“The day Bass Pro opened here in Bossier, the number of arrows I sold dropped off by 50 percent,” Winkler said.
A Bass Pro Shop opened [...]

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Study: LA environmental lawsuits lack hard evidence

By   /  May 2, 2012  /  Energy, Environmental, Louisiana, News, State Government  /  No Comments

offshore oil drilling

Are the attorneys and plaintiffs who file lawsuits built around oilfield contamination allegations genuinely concerned about environmental damage? Or, are they instead motivated by a loophole in the law that allows for financial awards to be detached from cleanup efforts?

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Payroll bill targets deductions for LA political activism

By   /  May 2, 2012  /  Louisiana, News, State Government  /  No Comments

coin stack

By Kevin Mooney | Pelican Institute for Public Policy
NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana lawmakers are set to take up “payroll protection” bills that would prohibit public school officials from automatically deducting worker dues for political purposes.

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