Panel hears ‘slush fund’ criticisms, defenses

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 4, 2009 - Page: 1A

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State Treasurer John Kennedy pushed Tuesday to purge legislators’ special projects from the state budget.

But other members of the Commission on Streamlining Government balked at the idea of cutting off funding for what are referred to in state government as nongovernmental organizations — or NGOs.

Critics often deride NGOs as “slush funds” because they supposedly sometimes benefit favored legislators’ districts.

Several members of the streamlining commission argued Tuesday that NGOs aren’t all bad.

Commissioner of Administration Angèle Davis said eliminating NGOs would affect water systems, battered women shelters, Councils on Aging and volunteer fire departments.

Kennedy disagreed.

“You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” he said.

State Rep. Brett Geymann, R-Lake Charles, said the projects are no longer the problem they were in the past.

Geymann said Gov. Bobby Jindal led changes that brought more transparency to which projects make it into the budget.

Organizations now must fill out paperwork that includes their operating budgets and a list of officers.

Geymann said the state helps worthwhile projects such as the Special Olympics, Councils on Aging and food banks.

Kennedy said “embarrassing” projects still are slipping into the budget.

He said legislators have a project addiction that dates back to Gov. Edwin Edwards, who treated the projects as political slush funds.