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While much of the rest of the nation continues to struggle with a tough economy and job losses, Louisiana and its capital city seem blessed. We are bucking the trend seen across the country. Gov. Bobby Jindal and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret have laid the foundation, reduced taxes, assembled a team, put training programs in place, used the megafund wisely, negotiated with integrity and worked relentlessly to get the job done. And Louisiana and its people are the winners.

Two weeks ago, the fruits of their labor were evident. It started with the announcement that a new American company that plans to make environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient cars had selected Monroe as the site of its first plant. The V-Vehicle Co. will take over the old Guide Corp. headlight plant off Interstate 20 and spend $250 million on expanding the facility. By the end of 2011, more than 1,400 people will be working at the plant. The jobs will have an average annual salary of $40,000 as well as benefits. Economists estimate the plant will pump $19.6 billion into the economy over the next 15 years, including about $167 million in new state and local tax revenues.

Louisiana’s package for the Monroe site beat out about 400 locations in 10 states for the V-Vehicle plant.

That same week, an announcement came that Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport will serve as the home of the Global Strike Command, the controlling entity of the service’s nuclear bombers and missiles. U.S. Rep. John Fleming, R-Shreveport, says the announcement means more than 1,000 direct jobs for the area and thousands more of ancillary jobs. The Global Strike Command will be activated Aug. 7. While Louisiana was touched by the national downturn and the General Motors bankruptcy when news broke that GM’s plant in Shreveport will close by 2012, we are fortunate that the Global Command project will add 1,000 direct jobs to soften the impact in northwest Louisiana. Plus, we’ll have a new car plant in northeast 
Louisiana.

And to cap off the week, Jindal and Moret announced a $362 million project in Iberville Parish. The French specialty chemical manufacturer SNF chose Louisiana from the four states competing for a water-soluble polymers plant SNF plans to build. The plant will employ more than 500 permanent workers, with an average salary of $57,000, and more than 100 contract workers. An LSU analysis estimates the project’s economic impact at $3.7 billion over the next 15 years, including $107 million in new state tax revenue and nearly $30 million in local taxes, not counting property and corporate income taxes. It predicts 900 jobs will be created indirectly.

That is one heck of a week for new jobs in Louisiana. I am sure there are 49 governors who are a bit envious. And they have to be aware of it from all of the national publicity Louisiana has received. I did a search on Google News the next week and found more than 200 articles written on the V-Vehicle announcement, 17 on the SNF plant and 19 on Global Strike Command. That’s a lot of positive ink for our state.

Congratulations to Jindal, Moret, the Legislature [for increasing the megafund], our congressional delegation, local officials and citizens [who put up the taxes for the megafund and pay all these officials]. Louisiana’s team is putting points on the board. But we can’t stop ... and I predict, with this team, there is more to come.

Capital City ranks nationally

The headline in The Advocate read “BR economy rated among best in U.S.” That’s a great way to start your day.

The headline was referring to the recent report by The Brookings Institution, which studied the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas for economic performance during the recession. The good news: Baton Rouge is ranked No. 8.

The study also showed that Baton Rouge ranks fifth nationally among the 100 largest metros for the lowest unemployment rate. Our rate was 5.2% versus 9% for the nation.

Adam Knapp, CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, said, “Brookings really nailed it in their research: Our region’s economic performance during the recession so far is the economic story of the year and among the best in the nation. BRAC analysis has shown this fact month to month since January, as we’ve monitored our overall exposure. Our business and community leaders should seize this opportunity to push forward for even stronger economic growth.”

Alan Berube, a senior fellow at Brookings, believes Baton Rouge should be one of the first metropolitan areas to grow and emerge from the recession.

Last October, BusinessWeek named Baton Rouge one of the best cities to ride out the recession. It appears they knew what they were talking about.

But the Brookings report was followed by more good news. Local Market Monitor, which produces the Home Price Forecast for more than 300 cities, says the Capital Region is one of the 10 best cities nationally in terms of future home prices. Home values should remain level locally over the next 12 months. Other cities with populations of more than 600,000 in the top 10 include Dallas, Houston and Rochester, N.Y.

Cry in Your Beer Award

Many years ago, John Maginnis used to do a “Best and Worst of the Legislature” in Gris-Gris [his former publication]. It was always brilliant and stinging—but very enjoyable for readers.

No one can do it like Maginnis, but I just have to give one award away in 2009. The Cry in Your Beer Award goes to ...

It’s a tie. Mark Ballard of The Advocate and James Gill of The Times-Picayune both win. Each was so hoping that the Legislature would arrive at the Capitol fuming over Jindal’s veto of their pay raise and ready to tear him apart limb from limb by killing every piece of legislation he proposed—including the budget. And they were going to enjoy their ringside seats. But it never happened—and they are so aggravated. Do you know how many barrels of ink they used during the session trying to fuel the fire? They even resorted to trying to shame people by calling the legislators “gutless.” But things just kept moving along and folks kept working together. [Except for Rep. Karen Carter Peterson and Sen. Robert Adley. There’s one in every bunch.] Oh, the pain for Ballard and Gill.

Now the session is over, and the governor had a successful one and will wrap it up with his veto pen—and take a vacation with his family. And Ballard and Gill are left to simply make that familiar trip to the bar and “cry in their beer.” Or drown in it.

Best of 225

There is a whole lot of news when it comes to good food and good times in the Capital Region—and it just keeps getting better. Every year, our sister publication 225 publishes its Best of 225 Awards. The awards are determined by a random survey conducted by SCI Research, and this year the survey had more than 2,000 voters. The fourth annual edition of the Best of 225 Awards hits the newsstand racks this week. Read and enjoy.

Best in the world

Speaking of “best of,” the LSU Tigers were definitely the class of the field at the College World Series, bringing home LSU’s sixth national championship in baseball. Congratulations to Chancellor Mike Martin, Athletic Director Joe Alleva, Coach Paul Mainieri and all of the Tigers. You made us proud—again!