Jindal touts jobs, investments
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LAFAYETTE — Gov. Bobby Jindal on Tuesday touted his administration’s successes in job creation and spoke of changes on the horizon for higher education.
The governor made a noon appearance at the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce’s “Legislative Luncheon.”
“From the very first day, we’ve been focused on economic development,” Jindal told the crowd.
The governor offered a litany of new businesses and expansions that he said have resulted in 32,000 direct and indirect jobs and $4.3 billion in capital investment.
That number includes projections of 235 new jobs in the Acadiana region and $424 million in new investment related to the Bobcat Gas Storage facility in St. Landry Parish, the Zagis USA cotton spinning factory in Jefferson Davis Parish and the expansion of Cameron Valves in Evangeline Parish, according to information from the Governor’s Office.
Jindal said his administration has worked to improve the state’s lure for business by changing ethics laws, developing better training programs for workers and cutting taxes.
The governor also told the chamber crowd to expect a leaner future for state government, even after extensive spending cuts over the past year.
“We’ve got to do more with less,” he said.
Jindal said some savings could be found in reconfiguring the state’s public universities to focus each school on its academic strengths.
“We can’t afford duplication,” he said. “We can’t be all things to all people.”
Before his speech, the governor presented a $5.1 million check to Lafayette City-Parish government to fund hurricane recovery and preparation.
About $3.8 million of the money is from the federal government for recovery costs associated with hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
The remaining $1.3 million is for preparations for future hurricanes.
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