Jindal to city....

Jindal Vetoes City Aid

Gov. Bobby Jindal has vetoed a major piece of Mayor Mitch Landrieu's legislative success story — and cost the city of New Orleans another $3.6 million a year. House Bill 334, authored by state Rep. Walt Leger III, gave the city a permanent source of funding for the state's contractually obligated annual reimbursement for casino-related services provided by the city — a total of $3.6 million a year for police, fire, EMS and other services. The reimbursement is part of the casino support services contract, which is approved every year by lawmakers, but the money owed the city is not always forthcoming. Leger's bill would have removed the need for the city to beg lawmakers (and the governor) every year for money.