Deterrent

There have been so many Uncle Ricos caught up in the Hollywood South tax credit scams by now, it's difficult to keep track of them all. Malcolm Petal was the original Uncle Rico, though.  Things turned out OK for him.

A bribery scandal that rocked Louisiana’s burgeoning film industry in 2007 may cost state taxpayers another $6.5 million.

An independent arbitrator has ordered the state to fork over that amount in disputed film tax credits to Malcolm Petal, a former New Orleans lawyer who was convicted of paying off the state’s film commissioner in exchange for millions of dollars in tax credits based on inflated expense reports.

Petal did five years in prison for bribery.  It's nice when you get out and find your investment paid off after all.  Meanwhile the state is going broke.

State lawmakers on Friday criticized but did not reverse nearly $61 million in cuts that Gov. Bobby Jindal levied across state agencies to close a midyear deficit.

More than 135 state workers will be laid off. Open hours at state museums and parks will shrink. Three state historic sites will close. Plans to expand a program that provides home-based aid to people with developmental disabilities will be scrapped. Fewer dollars will be spent on transportation supplies, drug abuse education and law enforcement training.