State Rep. Damon Baldone, D-Houma, criticized Gov. Bobby Jindal in the first annual LSU Law Legislative Preview at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center on Tuesday.
Baldone, vice chairman of the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he is trying to get the Legislature to become more independent, adding that he thinks Jindal is currently the most powerful governor in the country.
Baldone criticized Jindal’s habit of selling one-time assets and dependent money in an effort to fill holes in the state budget.
“I have some issues with the governor. I think he is making some serious mistakes with the budget,” Baldone said.
Baldone, who described himself as an independent, said he believed party politics and partisan voting are the only concepts holding tax increases back.
The LSU Law Legislative Preview was headed by Graham Ryan, the executive vice president of the Student Bar Association, and inspired by a similar event at Florida State University. Ryan said the event is only the second of its kind in the country.
Baldone discussed many issues related to students in the upcoming legislative session, including solutions to budget cuts. Baldone said he is not opposed to raising taxes.
“You don’t have to raise taxes, but invest taxes wisely,” Baldone said.
Baldone said the government should put more money into education because it is a good business investment. Baldone said education allows money to circulate within the state, informs children and increases state knowledge.  
Baldone criticized Jindal’s proposal to sell and privatize several Louisiana prisons, calling the idea “horrible” and saying it is a one-time asset with no long-term benefits.
Baldone said he has not talked to a legislator who is in favor of Jindal’s idea. “One legislator … said it’s like a junkie selling his car to get his next fix,” Baldone said.  
Baldone suggested instead placing non-violent offenders under house arrest and having them monitored. He said they could then pay the state for their incarceration instead of vice versa.
Baldone said he supports legislation that would increase tuition for students taking more than 12 hours, which he said would give students an incentive not to drop classes.
Baldone said he is in favor of the possible merger of the University of New Orleans and Southern University-New Orleans. He cited the campuses’ close proximity, poor graduation rates and increased efficiency as merger benefits.
Baldone addressed the complaint that many SUNO-UNO students didn’t receive adequate education at the K-12 level, saying more funding needs to be assigned to basic education.
Doug Smith, a first-year law student, said he was impressed the event was the second of its kind in the country, especially because Louisiana isn’t usually first in anything.
“It was very informative and very nice for [speakers] to take time out of their day,” Smith said.
 
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Contact Kevin Thibodeaux at [email protected]