Bobby Jindal in the Wall Street Journal

Good op-ed by Bobby Jindal in the Wall Street Journal.

ESPN's The Sports Guy on New Orleans

Link here.

Ray Nagin, Economic Genius

Ray Nagin has positioned himself as a shoe-in for the Nobel Prize in Economics with his latest scholarly work, "Recession: Bad for Everyone Else, Good for the Chocolate City."

Pres Kabacoff and the Voodoo Priestess

Jeffrey, Oyster and Suspect Device react to Pres Kabacoff's plan to develop a healing center with his voodoo priestess girlfriend.

Good Press for New Orleans from the New York Times

New Orleans received some good press from, of all places, the doom and gloom New York Times.

Wall Street Journal Editorial on New Orleans Property Taxes

It's entitled Property Tax Flood: The Real Battle of New Orleans.

To stop local governments from collecting tax windfalls when property values spike, the state requires local governments to roll back property tax rates in hot housing markets. But this being New Orleans, the city has followed the law in the past by cutting property tax rates only to immediately raise them again. Mayor Ray Nagin refuses to rule out playing the same game this year. His office wouldn't answer our questions on the issue, referring us instead to the city's tax assessors.

Notwithstanding Mr. Nagin, there is an opportunity for leadership here. The biggest threat facing New Orleans beyond another hurricane is that too few people will return to the city. The city's population is about 60% of what it was pre-Katrina, and many former residents still seem to prefer living in FEMA trailers to returning home. High property taxes don't help. Or as former Governor Huey Long once quipped, "one day the people of Louisiana are going to get good government--and they aren't going to like it."

The City Council will likely cut property taxes and Council President Arnie Fielkow is taking the lead in meeting with homeowners to discuss the issue. What the Council must now decide is whether to give homeowners a strong reason not to flee the city before their property tax bills come due later this year.

Free Money Making Idea

For anyone wanting to make money, please open a competitor to Babies R Us. The store in Metairie is a disaster. It was that way before Katrina, so they can't play that excuse either.

Long Term Outlook Bright for Louisiana Restaurants

The Louisiana State University AgCenter believes the long term outlook for restaurants in Louisiana is positive. This is based on demographic trends such as the increase in baby boomers who will be empty nesters and, presumably, will therefore eat out more.

NOWFE's Economic Impact: $5.4 Million

The 2007 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience had an economic impact of $5.4 million.

Sun Ray Grill Buys Cotton Mill Space

Sun Ray Grill has reached an agreement to buy the space it leases from Pres Kabacoff's HRI in the Cotton Mill building in the Warehouse District. Their signature drink, which I enjoy, is the El Presidente Margarita.

Sammy Kershaw Versus Mitch Landrieu

Country singer Sammy Kershaw is running for Lieutenant Governor against incumbent Mitch Landrieu. Sammy's hits include "She Don't Know She's Beautiful." He is married to Lorrie Morgan, her fifth marriage. She has experience with entertainers turned politicians, having dated Fred Thompson in the 1990s.

Rock N' Bowl Renovation

Developers plan to spend $5 million renovating the shopping center on South Carrollton where Rock N' Bowl is.

WINO Approved

Wine Institute New Orleans, or WINO, received City Council approval for a zoning change allowing it to remain open.

City Council Approves Trump Tower

I still don't think it will ever come to fruition, but Donald Trump has City Council approval to build his 70 story tower at Poydras and Camp.

Occupancy Rate Near Sellout for Carnival

More than 95 percent of the city’s 30,000 available rooms had been reserved for Mardi Gras weekend, up from 92 percent during Carnival’s first weekend.

Commercialization of Carnival Fails

The City's effort to further commercialize 2007 Carnival has been a failure. What's next? Tostitos Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras, Presented by AT&T?

Federal City Plan Proceeding

A reduction in financing for the military base realignment process shouldn't hinder plans to transform the Naval Support Activity's Algiers base into a campus for military and government agencies, Louisiana officials say.

City and Port Reach Riverfront Deal

Link.

Federal City Progress

BearingPoint consultants to negotiate leases for the Naval Support Activity facility in Algiers. Link.

State Seeks German Steel Plant

State officials are in Germany this week bidding on a 2,000 employee steel mill complex.