In spite of all of the public discourse regarding the corruption of government, there is something to be said about the value and importance of having experienced and knowledgeable people in positions that shape the policy and direct the operation of government agencies. With that said, I am uncertain as to where the failure occurred, but an appointed commission that operates independently under the umbrella of the Calcasieu Parish Policy Jury has broken the law. What’s worse is this is not the first time a public agency has done this.
On May 4th of this year, there will be a state election. In Calcasieu parish there are a number of propositions on the ballot for various items, including a proposition for a property tax to fund the Fire Protection District of Ward One, District One. Recently, a mailer went out to the residents of that district explaining the details of the proposition, what it will be used for, and included a solicitation for a “Yes” vote.
The moment this mailer went out, one of two laws were broken. If this mailer was paid for and mailed by the Fire District, the district violated Revised Statute 18:1465 which prohibits the use of public funds for this purpose.
If the mailer was paid for and mailed by a third party such as a political action committee, or a group of residents who support the proposition, then Revised Statute 18:1505.3 was violated which requires the name of a third party paying for a political advertisement must be displayed.
There’s no doubt that when things like this happen, it adds fuel to the fire regarding distrust in government, widespread corruption, and incompetence. One might think this is a violation of a small and unimportant law. You might be right, but it begs the question…what other laws are being broken?
The only question I have now is why isn’t there someone in a position of authority with knowledge of campaign finance laws to stop this from happening?
Send it to the DA.