When I ‎arrived at Capitol on Monday evening 2/22/16-( my parents Arlene and Mike Capasso 57th wedding anniversary-). I was met by Rep. Carter- country lawyer from Amite/St Helena (JBE. Country! ) +- advocating for 2 of the most populist -right on bills to tax oil and natural gas
. (Very appropriately-and fairly I might add) -. But the bills were not called to floor for a vote

I got chills listening to Rep. Robbie Carter- hearing about the TRUTH about Oil companies in Louisiana (and Rep,. Carter’s bills-would only tax Foreign oil!! Right on Robby!)

That Exxon and BP alone- use 9 million- 9 MILLION gallons of Water a DAY from Baton Rouge special water distillery- that flows from Baton Rouge River- (don’t know why they don’t tale it from the Mississippi river.?‎)-. But OIL DEPENDS on public water for their corporation to RUN!!!

But John Bel-decided NOT to introduce Rep. Carter’s. Bills to the floor! Maybe he knew they would fail to get a vote-or “business unfriendly” label would be placed on the bill from. LABI and their cronies) (I saw a frggin LABI. Lobbyist in the hall -with his friggin LABI pin on his lapel- ‎practically BRAGGING about his credientials- to NOT. ALLOW for taxation revenue to help our state? -and NOT ALLOW a vote on raising minimum wage? — it took everything had not to curse him out in the Way and Means committe. Hearing- (in the lobby!!) –

I spoke to Walter Leger-my great representative- a populist who is ready to Rumble on JBE’s team- and hey- Walt says-“he would have voted for Robby Carters bills- but they were not brought up– Leger says “were going to bring it up next year- not this year‎..”

The business utility tax-“not business friendly” -so it failed- Leger says It could pass next year- (every. Southern state taxes business. Utility bills-this is friggin outrageous!! )
. So we tax cigarettes. 22 cents- – still not enough-. But Walt got it through-. And. Walt understands this is a chess match-and give Abramson his “room” to leverage and make deals- to show the state GOP that a New Orleans Repubican can be “trusted” not to cave in to “raising revenue “- just yet—”

But it was telling that populism and community activism is getting through to the State legislators-

And– Republican JPSO Sheriff Newell Normand is ready to Kick Some GOP ass!! He trashed Jindal-“8 years. We have been drinking the elixir..” and Normand laid waste to any “cowards” who ‎Refuse to acknowledge -taxes pay for good government!!! – Man-. Can you see us organize a coalition of. Dems ,GOP and Independants that stand with Newell Normand -Walter Leger and JBE!! Right on! And -. Danny Martiny will be with us! iAnd we have ourselves a force ready to kick some ass against the Vitters/ LABI – and sorry to say- John Kennedy . Robert Mann TP editorial 2/21- is right on! You cannot CUT. your way out of jindals nightmare Mr Kennedy! Mr Treasury Secretary- please start working for people instead of bowing to Vitter-looking for a US Senate seat-. Hey -if Newell Normand keeps fighting for public employees taxation -.would I be saying –Senator Normand?

Solidarity for Louisianan working families!

And–
Please look at Bill Quiglys piece on Public defenders- fantastic-

David Capasso ‎
First Presbyterian Church NO ( fpcno.org)
Progressive Democrats
NAACP‎ Labor/Religious Commitees
A Community Voice
United Labor Unions
Loyola Law Alumni
Sierra Club
ACLU
Justice & Beyond