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Those who are desperate for change in our state must step up and speak out with their votes on Oct. 20. Failing to vote is simply accepting things as they are and leaving your future in the hands of others. Is that acceptable to you?

For two decades I have been an advocate for reform in our state. I have shared my candid opinions with you in this space, encouraged citizens to pursue public service, gotten in the trenches, supported people I believed would bring change—and even run for office myself. It has been a learning experience, but one well worthwhile. If you don’t get involved and get on the field, you’re merely a spectator. We have had too many spectators in Louisiana, and we have gotten the government we deserved. So let’s stop just blaming those in office and realize it is us—both the voters and the nonvoters—who put them there.

Saturday, Oct. 20, is election day. Early voting is going on this week and ends on Saturday, Oct 13. This means you have a total of eight days to cast your vote for many important offices that will determine our future and let the nation know which direction we are headed as a state. Please exercise your right to vote and encourage your family and employees to do likewise.

Endorsements

Governor: Bobby Jindal

I endorsed Jindal four years ago as the best candidate to lead our state. He didn’t get that opportunity. Jindal wasn’t the only one who lost—Louisiana lost. (Post-Katrina/Rita, I think many who voted for his opponent now would agree.) My position on who should be our next governor hasn’t changed. As I first shared in this column in February, I am again supporting Jindal and have even gotten back in the trenches by serving as his treasurer. Because of that, I committed to refraining from sharing my opinions on the governor’s race prior to this Oct. 9 issue. Now, I will simply say to Louisiana voters that Bobby Jindal has the vision, integrity, ideas and energy to lead our state and change our image at a crucial time. Let’s not make the same mistake twice.

Lieutenant governor: Mitch Landrieu

The incumbent has two Republican opponents, Sammy Kershaw and Rep. Gary Beard, who each have their group of fans and supporters. Both seem passionate about the opportunities. But Landrieu has done a good job. He has been active and progressive in running his office, presenting new ideas and representing the state well. He continues to face big challenges post-Katrina/Rita—but has earned four more years.

Secretary of State: Jay Dardenne

Elected last fall to fill the unexpired term of the late Fox McKeithen, Dardenne is up for a full term and deserves re-election. He has already introduced new ideas, and he proposes to consolidate summer election dates with those in the fall to increase turnout. Dardenne is willing to tackle reform in Louisiana.

Attorney general: Buddy Caldwell

I have made it clear that I think Attorney General Charles Foti should go. From the Dr. Anna Pou debacle to the Magano case and then the strip-search settlement, Foti has been an embarrassment. The question is who should replace him. You have two capable candidates, District Attorney Buddy Caldwell and attorney Royal Alexander. I have seen the attack ads, heard the rumors and watched YouTube (but I am also wary these days of the motives of Dan Kyle and his friends). I have met with both candidates. I spoke to those who know them well. In the end, based on his legal experiences and judgment—for a key position that needs both—I will vote for Buddy Caldwell.

Insurance commissioner: Jim Donelon

Like Dardenne, Jim Donelon is now running for a full term. The race last fall against James David Cain was nasty. I could endorse neither. Donelon has committed to raising the bar on an office that has been a black eye for our state. This past session, he passed a bill to eliminate the rating commission that has allowed politics and government to dictate in a free market. He has done well in his first year and kept the department out of the headlines for a change. Donelon should get a full term to continue his efforts.

Agriculture commissioner: Mike Strain

I think Bob Odom should have been gone long ago as the head of this office. Let’s hope voters will make that change this time. Odom’s challengers include Strain, a state representative who is a veterinarian and cattle rancher, and Councilman Wayne Carter, a businessman. I met with both and heard about their backgrounds and reasons for running. Since Carter is a Metro Council member, I have far more knowledge of his past—and that is not to his advantage. His actions and politics on the council have been distasteful. I can’t ignore that when we are trying to get rid of Odom and his politics of old. Strain has been chairman of the rural caucus in the Legislature for two terms. Interestingly, while Strain and Carter are both Republicans (Carter switched parties this year), congressmen Jim McCrery and Charles Boustany, as well as Sen. David Vitter, have all endorsed Strain. Strain is also supported by the NRA and the Associated Builders & Contractors. Strain will get my vote.

BESE Board, District 8: Linda Johnson

She joined the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2000 and serves as vice-chair of the Accountability and Assessment Committee, one of Louisiana’s success stories. Johnson has also focused on early childhood education. She deserves another four years and stands heads above her opponent, Darrell Glasper, who would be a disaster on BESE.

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff: Greg Phares

You have to vote twice for sheriff. Once for the unfulfilled term running to the end of 2007 and once for the full term to follow. You have five candidates to choose from. Four seem serious and sincere about serving our community: Sid Gautreaux, Dalton Honore, Scott Thompson and Phares, and I enjoyed getting to visit with each. One, Mark Milligan (who never was available to meet), seems angry—like he has more of a vendetta than an agenda. That’s a shame.

The four men I got to interview all have different levels of experience in law enforcement. They all have a passion to serve the public, and I applaud them for that. But in the end, for me, this is a law enforcement job, and crime and safety are becoming big issues in Baton Rouge. This parish is more than 450 square miles. The Sheriff’s Office has more than 850 positions with a budget of more than $65 million. That’s a tough job. It requires a law man, not a politician. Sheriff Elmer Litchfield was elected because he was a tough law man, not a smooth politician.

On his commercials, Gautreaux talks of being a police chief for 27 years. But he fails to say that it was in Baker. We’re talking a town of about five square miles with a staff of less than 40 and a budget of a few million. That’s apples and oranges. (We already saw what happens when you put a Baker mayor in the chair of mayor-president of East Baton Rouge—in over his head.)

Fact is, Honore, who was a captain and former substation commander for the Sheriff’s Office, managed more people than Gautreaux did. Honore was also the first black deputy in East Baton Rouge. His story is impressive, as is the man.

In the end, I have decided to vote for Phares. He may not be the best politician in the pack, but I believe he is the best and most experienced law man. And at a time when our community’s safety is paramount, we just can’t be wrong.

EBR School Board, District 11: Randy Lamana

This is the “Central seat” that was occupied by Jay Devall. It is currently being held by a board appointee, Democrat Juanita Sanford, who is supportive of the proposed collective bargaining. Lamana, a Republican, is not. I’m with him. I believe collective bargaining is good for unions, not for our schools or our children’s future.

EBR parishwide proposition: HRC Amendment—FOR

This involves many minor and some major changes to our Plan of Government. You need to check out the changes in “red” on the city’s Web site, brgov.com. (Click on “Proposed amendments to Plan of Govt.”) Changes include choice of wording; adding the City of Central; raising monthly pay of Metro Council from $300 to $1,000 a month effective in 2009; requirement of council members to remain residents and voters of their district or the seat becomes vacant; giving the mayor right to speak at council meetings without an invitation; and changes to Personnel Civil Service Board, Library Board and the Planning & Zoning Board. Overall, I agree with the amendment and will vote for it, including the pay increase for the next Metro Council. But when there are controversial issues, I would prefer to have them separated and not bundled for an up or down vote.

EBR parishwide proposition: Sale Alcoholic Beverages—FOR

This involves the blue law, which I have supported in the past when it had most businesses closed on Sunday. Now the law looks like Swiss cheese, and most every parish around us has abolished it. In fact, we allow purchases at 11 a.m. in restaurants but not until noon in grocery stores and then not this or that. And we give waivers for Super Bowl Sunday. C’mon. Let’s stop the games. We lost this one on blue laws. Now it is nothing more than symbolic harassment and an inconvenience.

The Legislature

I know all of the incumbents running in our local districts as well as most of the challengers. I have also observed and written about many of the other elected officials running for these offices. I have attended forums, visited Web sites, read campaign materials and conducted a number of interviews.

There are many good people running and I applaud each for offering to do public service. If you read my column regularly, you know by now what I stand for and what I value in a candidate. While it is tough to choose among quality candidates, many who are friends, a voter must choose one. While I only vote in District 70, if I was to vote in each district, here’s who I believe would be best in the Legislature:

House of Representatives

District 29: Rep. Regina Barrow

District 61: Rep. Michael Jackson

District 62: Rep. Thomas McVea

District 64: No endorsement

District 65: Clif Richardson

District 67: David Brown

District 68: Steve Carter

District 69: Erich Ponti

District 70: Franklin Foil

Senate

District 14: Jason DeCuir

District 15: Sen. Sharon Weston Broome

District 16: Sen. Bill Cassidy

District 17: No endorsement

Livingston Parish

There is a major parishwide race for tax assessor. This one was easy. Based on his solid performance in office and outstanding public service, the voters should re-elect Assessor Jeff Taylor.

Constitutional amendments

Amendment No. 1, Supplemental Pay Protection: AGAINST

The constitution currently guarantees $300 in supplemental pay to police, fire, deputies, etc. as a base. It is up to $425 and this would raise the guarantee every time the supplement is raised by the Legislature, tying their hands in a future budget crisis. Other departments don’t have a constitutional lock. We need flexibility and should leave the guarantee where it is.

Amendment No. 2, Supplemental Pay Expansion: AGAINST

This only applies to adding in the New Orleans Harbor police and firemen, 54 people. The Harbor should make a budget request for this amount and not deal with this in the constitution.

Amendment No. 3, Funding of State Retirement Systems: FOR

This would forbid adding future benefits for public employees in retirement systems unless funding was identified to pay the cost in 10 years. The unfunded liability is already outrageous. Enough.

Amendment No. 4, Property Tax Exemption for Consigned Jewelry: AGAINST

This is an add-on to consigned art passed last fall. I opposed that one in principle because I don’t think all these items should be in the constitution, and it ties the hands of local governments to collect taxes—forcing them again to raise other taxes or come begging to the state. Same principle applies here.

To read a summary of the amendments prepared by the Pubic Affairs Research Council (PAR), visit la-par.org.