Washington Watch for March 17, 2008
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La. utility backs regulation
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Terry Huval, director of the Lafayette Utilities System, was on Capitol Hill last week urging Congress to make the nation’s railroads come under anti-trust laws affecting other industries.
In the early 1980s, 40 freight rail carriers existed in the nation. But after deregulation, the number whittled down to four. Huval, who also serves as chairman of the American Public Power Association, said the absence of more competition leaves railroads able to charge whatever they want.
LUS owns a coal-generated power plant in Boyce that depends on shipments from Wyoming. Because of the lack of competition, the utility spends $15 million a year more than it would if it could get competitive bids, Huval said. That expense gets passed on to utility users, he said.
“You don’t really have a competitive environment anymore,” Huval said.
Attempts to pass legislation in Congress to put the railroads under the nation’s anti-trust laws have been unsuccessful. But Huval pledged to keep working on the issue.
“The burden of contesting it lies with the customer,” Huval said.
Landrieu voted liberal on 53.2 percent of the votes studied and conservative on 46.8 percent, making her the dead center marker of the Senate’s 100 members. Landrieu welcomed the mantel.
“Louisianians, like most Americans, do not want leadership that moves us right or left, they seek solutions that move us forward,” Landrieu said in a statement. “It means supporting the administration when its position benefits our state and country.”
On the House side, U.S. Rep. Charles “Charlie” Melancon, D-Napoleonville, finished closest to center, scoring 47.8 percent liberal and 52.2 percent conservative.
U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., ranked as the 12th most-conservative member in the Senate, scoring an 84.5 percent conservative record. Landrieu and Vitter also finished seventh in polarizing votes among senators from the same state. The liberal-to-conservative vote difference between the two senators was 37.7 percent.
Vitter sits as the ranking Republican on the Senate commerce subcommittee on space, aeronautics and related sciences, which handles matters related to NASA. The launch was particularly relevant to Louisiana, Vitter said, because the mission commander, Dominic Gorie, hails from Lake Charles.
Gorie is leading a team that includes astronauts from Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan.
“I have a serious interest in our space program and specifically how it relates to Louisiana,” Vitter said in a statement. “The space shuttle program continues to capture the imagination of America, and I know that Louisianians will feel great pride.”
Vessels taking Crewboat Cut could reduce the travel time to the Gulf by 25 minutes, which would allow them to significantly save fuel.
“Authorizing Crewboat Cut is a common-sense measure that will benefit mariners in south Louisiana by providing a faster, more-efficient access route to the Gulf,” Melancon said in a statement.
Tax filing for 2007 is complicated in hurricane-affected areas of Louisiana because the IRS has determined that taxpayers who took a casualty loss in 2005 and received a Road Home grant must add the casualty loss to their 2007 income.
The move pushes many homeowners into a higher tax bracket, resulting in filers paying taxes far greater than their 2005 deduction. The meetings will be held over the next two months in New Orleans, Houma and Lake Charles.
Those interested can contact their representative and senators for the meeting schedule.
In the early 1980s, 40 freight rail carriers existed in the nation. But after deregulation, the number whittled down to four. Huval, who also serves as chairman of the American Public Power Association, said the absence of more competition leaves railroads able to charge whatever they want.
LUS owns a coal-generated power plant in Boyce that depends on shipments from Wyoming. Because of the lack of competition, the utility spends $15 million a year more than it would if it could get competitive bids, Huval said. That expense gets passed on to utility users, he said.
“You don’t really have a competitive environment anymore,” Huval said.
Attempts to pass legislation in Congress to put the railroads under the nation’s anti-trust laws have been unsuccessful. But Huval pledged to keep working on the issue.
“The burden of contesting it lies with the customer,” Huval said.
Scoring their votes
U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., was scored as the most-centrist member of the Senate, according to National Journal magazine’s annual vote study.Landrieu voted liberal on 53.2 percent of the votes studied and conservative on 46.8 percent, making her the dead center marker of the Senate’s 100 members. Landrieu welcomed the mantel.
“Louisianians, like most Americans, do not want leadership that moves us right or left, they seek solutions that move us forward,” Landrieu said in a statement. “It means supporting the administration when its position benefits our state and country.”
On the House side, U.S. Rep. Charles “Charlie” Melancon, D-Napoleonville, finished closest to center, scoring 47.8 percent liberal and 52.2 percent conservative.
U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., ranked as the 12th most-conservative member in the Senate, scoring an 84.5 percent conservative record. Landrieu and Vitter also finished seventh in polarizing votes among senators from the same state. The liberal-to-conservative vote difference between the two senators was 37.7 percent.
Up, up and away
Vitter traveled to Florida on Tuesday to view in person the shuttle launch — a first for the state’s junior senator.Vitter sits as the ranking Republican on the Senate commerce subcommittee on space, aeronautics and related sciences, which handles matters related to NASA. The launch was particularly relevant to Louisiana, Vitter said, because the mission commander, Dominic Gorie, hails from Lake Charles.
Gorie is leading a team that includes astronauts from Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan.
“I have a serious interest in our space program and specifically how it relates to Louisiana,” Vitter said in a statement. “The space shuttle program continues to capture the imagination of America, and I know that Louisianians will feel great pride.”
Cutting a new short cut
Melancon introduced legislation last week that would authorize the dredging of Crewboat Cut in the Atchafalaya River in lower St. Mary Parish, opening the waterway to commercial vessels making their way to the Gulf of Mexico.Vessels taking Crewboat Cut could reduce the travel time to the Gulf by 25 minutes, which would allow them to significantly save fuel.
“Authorizing Crewboat Cut is a common-sense measure that will benefit mariners in south Louisiana by providing a faster, more-efficient access route to the Gulf,” Melancon said in a statement.
IRS holds tax meetings
The Internal Revenue Service has scheduled six town hall meetings in south Louisiana to help hurricane survivors and certified public accountants file 2007 taxes.Tax filing for 2007 is complicated in hurricane-affected areas of Louisiana because the IRS has determined that taxpayers who took a casualty loss in 2005 and received a Road Home grant must add the casualty loss to their 2007 income.
The move pushes many homeowners into a higher tax bracket, resulting in filers paying taxes far greater than their 2005 deduction. The meetings will be held over the next two months in New Orleans, Houma and Lake Charles.
Those interested can contact their representative and senators for the meeting schedule.
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