It is officially hot but not yet stifling. It has rained hard a couple of times but still seems way behind schedule. The grass doesn't know whether to grow a foot or burn up. Of course as we are all hyper aware, hurricane season starts in June. The first one already raked the East Coast.
Politics in the city took an odd turn as the mayor was called upon to name a replacement councilman in District B to fill the rest of Stacey Head's term. Head was elected to fill out Arnie Fielkow's At Large position and remains on the council. The racial divide in the council seemed to loom large over this appointment. Normally the council would approve the choice of the outgoing district member. Head recommended Errol George, and the council majority seemed to concur, but the two black members objected. Its not clear what their objection was, but in May before an official confirmation vote could be held, the two black members walked out. With the vacancy in District B this was enough to deny the council a quorum. In June the clock ran out on the appointment and opened the door to a mayoral appointment. Ignoring the council's recommendation, ostensibly for reasons of George's residency in District E, Landrieu appointed Dana Bajoie on June 5th. With her appointment the council make up is four white women, two black women and one black man. White women fill both At Large positions. For the record, George and Bajoie are both black politicians who lost their last bids for office.
It looks like the politicians want to punt on the Crescent City Connection toll renewal. Tolls are scheduled to expire in December, but the State legislature passed a bill to put it to a vote in Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes. Interest groups are already queuing up with slogans like "Keep the Lights On." Jindal needs to sign the bill to start the merriment. Tolls bring in $22 million per year. The CCC has had tolls for most of its existence with the exception of a brief period after Gov. McKeithen removed them. They were reinstated in 1989 when the second span opened.
City Business reported that each $1 collected as tolls is spent as follows:
32% - ferry boats
19% - bridge repairs and CCC police
16% - toll collection
15% - capital projects and debts beyond the bridge
13% - bridge capital fund (pay it forward)
5% - landscaping
In another weird moment, the Louisiana Republican Party held its State Convention to choose delegates to the National Convention in Tampa. Out numbered by Ron Paul delegates elected in April, the establishment Republicans tried to pull a fast one. The Ron Paul delegates rebelled, and in an act of defiance they turned their chairs 180 degrees and held an alternate convention at the other end of the room. Who knows which slate of candidates the National Convention will seat?