|
Post by coolboy on Jul 25, 2007 15:43:08 GMT -6
Many courthouses around the country do not transport inmates to the courthouse. There is a room within the jailhouse with a camera and closed-circuit tv connected directly to the courtroom. I think it's a good idea. There is no need to pay for extra security to transport these inmates, and they are not walking down the same hallways as citizens.
Make the courthouse go with a wireless network for $1 million at the most. That would alleviate miles of wires.
The judges and lawyers want a NEW courthouse and I don't think they'll settle for less. In my opinion, they should foot the bill themselves or offer up a portion of the cost. Honestly, we do need to do something before the courthouse falls apart though, but I refuse to raise taxes.
|
|
|
Post by Darin on Jul 26, 2007 15:55:09 GMT -6
I have been to the courthouse and the municipal courthouse and I have to say, I felt like I was the criminal. The security is extremely overdone. Security for exactly what ? City court does not even deal with ANY major crimes, just traffic and I think minor misdemeanor situations. And why must I go through security to go into the Clerk of Court office, but no security to go to the Assessor's office (that is the s.o.b. I want to shoot)?
And why exactly can't I have a cell phone in the building but the elected officials all have one strapped to their belt(Clerk,DA,Judges,Assessor)? What law is that again ? These people have clearly forgotten who they work for. If the judges did a better job, they would have no reason to fear coming to the office. Besides, they all park right outside the place. if I wanted to harm them, i would do it there, not inside.
Is there any hope that sanity will return ?
|
|
fubar
New Member
Posts: 43
|
Post by fubar on Jul 26, 2007 21:13:33 GMT -6
Regular cell phones are ok. The no cell phone is no camera phone. 2 reasons from what I understand - 1) Judges want to cameras or video cameras in the courtrooms and 2) the clerk does not want you making free copies of the public documents. He makes money from the copy service of 'his' documents - so he can sell the copies to the taxpaying public. Go figure. Fubar
|
|
|
Post by zoe10850 on Jul 27, 2007 1:01:23 GMT -6
That is absurd rationale. Like someone could make copies w/cell phone and disrupt the clerk of court's money machine cash flow. Still, where is the legal authority to ban such items. I can understand a courtroom situation, but not the rest of the building. Afraid someone will catch them doing something wrong ? And what is the excuse in city court ? No clerk there. Those people are just anti-public and paranoid. Yet another reason for an overhaul.
|
|
|
Post by guest on Jul 27, 2007 16:28:39 GMT -6
"there is no state law or parish ordinance that says cameras are prohibited in the halls and other common areas of the court house. The judges dictate decorum in their court rooms, but in the snack bar too? And does the Clerk really think that I am going to cut into his revenue by taking a pic of a document with my camera phone?"
Get it, there is no state law, parish ordinance or court rule banning camera phones in the common areas of the CH.Even if there were a rule against it, the judges can not enforce rules beyond their court room. That would be like the judges making a rule that the grass had to be cut every week and the halls waxed every night. So, just what is the authority of that deputy stopping you from doing so? Some idiot put a sign giving them authority? Rememebr , we are a society of laws. If push came to shove, the Sheriff is facing one big lawsuit.
|
|
ij
New Member
Posts: 44
|
Post by ij on Jul 28, 2007 7:39:53 GMT -6
Arrogance. Never have I witnessed the arrogance I see in this community. These elected officials feel emboldened to do whatever they want to do. We follow blindly though so it's our fault. Most of the current office holders have no opposition. Not much chance for change when no one steps up to challenge. We do not even have a two party system here any longer, a select few very wealthy individuals have seen to that. All hail our kings who serve for life.
|
|
|
Post by TBEAR on Jul 28, 2007 10:31:12 GMT -6
Hello IJ, welcome to the board
|
|
ij
New Member
Posts: 44
|
Post by ij on Jul 28, 2007 17:44:39 GMT -6
TY TBEAR. I believe our community is going to hell in a hand basket. We are being lead by a group with specific goals and objectives which don't appear to be like mine. Scares the hell out of me when we no longer have opposing sides. Looks like the money people in this city want to control everything in it. Utopia is a fantasy.
|
|
|
Post by zoe10850 on Jul 29, 2007 1:30:08 GMT -6
Wellij, if you read through the posts at this site, you will see that you are preaching to the choir. Many of us have expresssed similar views and resentment, however, APATHY is actually the rule in Lafayette Parish. Most people have the attention span of a 4 year old, and our politicians recognize this and that is why they get away with so much b.s.
Look around;Chris Williams will walk into the legislature. 12 more years of this idiot. No one is opposing Michot. or judges. or president.or sheriff.or clerk. or assessor. Old Ernie is the first to walk away that I can remember. Is hard to have change that way.
|
|
|
Post by TBEAR on Jul 29, 2007 7:20:50 GMT -6
YW, IJ, and your right Z, people go about their days not concerned in the least of what these yoyos are doing, too many people making money with the economy the way it is I guess so they figure everything is going smooth, but let the bottom fall out, they will be wanting to hang these people who represent us after they pay attention to the bs they are up to. You would have thought someone would have ran against somebody.
|
|
|
Post by Dorothy on Jul 30, 2007 18:10:51 GMT -6
I think it is past time to form a third party. No sense having people register as independent, because they really are not. There is no apparent difference in Republicans or Democrats. Let us form the Apathetic Party. We can continue to do nothing about anything, and support everything that floats along. A big,happy family.
We can just turn over our money to Dee Stanley and Joey Durel and Terry Huval because it is obvious that they can spend and manage money better than us. We can have pro-tax Tax Assessors and clerks of court who hoard money, Sheriffs who bring in inmates from around the state to sleep on the floor of the jail and sue us while he makes money, city police who are so lazy they buy cameras to catch us rather than them, city planners who approve expansion and build infrastructure afterwords, councilmen who practice crude acts of graffiti on public property and laugh about it. We can build arenas at cost of $60 million dollars and have no idea what to do to utilize the facility and whine when FEMA will not bail us out (refugees did not make roof or walls leak). We can build concrete streets and put in lights on the Saloom property when they have not even sold it yet and no one uses it(Ambassador Caff Pkwy across from Womens Hospital) but we cannot widen Kaliste Saloom or E Broussard Road when thousands use those roads, we can have special roads and gates built for president but if anyone else would ask, it would be illegal.
We already have an Apathetic Party, we just have not merged the two yet. Someone should run just to keep these people honest and accountable. Money should not determine our elected officials.
|
|
|
Post by SeleR on Aug 2, 2007 17:17:46 GMT -6
Don't we already have a president named Joe Apathy ?
|
|
ij
New Member
Posts: 44
|
Post by ij on Aug 3, 2007 7:34:03 GMT -6
True,true and more true. Joey Apathy.
|
|
ij
New Member
Posts: 44
|
Post by ij on Aug 6, 2007 12:14:53 GMT -6
Don't buy into that lie about a tax being a renewal. We vote on taxes for a specific time period. When that time is up, it's dead. There is no legal definition for a tax renewal in the state constitution. It's just a ploy by the government and the newspapers to make you believe a lie.
|
|
|
Post by zoe10850 on Aug 6, 2007 14:03:26 GMT -6
So very true. There is no legal definition for a renewal. Most taxes are passed for a specified length of time. What really bothers me are the millage "rollforwards". Look at you tax bill. The school tax that was once 10 mills - where is it now ? Same for the others. If a millage election comes up, the thing to do is set the millage rate at the same level as when it was originally passed, not at the new rate. This is clearly not a renewal.
You would think the paper would print that, but I suppose we do not have a newspaper as such. Example today: Joe Durel is speaking to a forum of parish leaders saying we should have stronger ethics laws. Isn't this the same fellow that got a free driveway built ?
|
|
|
Post by ronnief on Aug 7, 2007 17:55:27 GMT -6
I find it even more interesting that the leaders can change the original millage proposition from maintaining courthouse to maintaining courthouse and other buildings such as jail, government building etc. Then they have the audacity to say there is insufficient money to maintain the courthouse. And the final insult; call the millage a renewal.
|
|
|
Post by zoe10850 on Aug 11, 2007 0:09:24 GMT -6
THINK ABOUT THIS! At first this seems funny...until you realize the awful truth of it. Be sure to read all the way to the end!
Tax his land, Tax his bed,Tax the table At which he's fed. Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes Are the rule. Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat. Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt. Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he Tries to think. Tax his cigars, Tax his beers,If he cries, then Tax his tears. Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways To tax his ass Tax all he has Then let him know That you won't be done Till he has no dough. When he screams and hollers, Then tax him some more, Tax him till he's good and sore. Then tax his coffin , Tax his grave, Tax the sod in Which he's laid. Put these words upon his tomb, "Taxes drove me to my doom..." When he's gone, Do not relax, Its time to apply The inheritance tax. Accounts Receivable Tax Building Permit Tax CDL license Tax Cigarette Tax Corporate Income Tax Dog License Tax Excise Taxes Federal Income Tax Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) Fishing License Tax Food License Tax Fuel Permit Tax Gasoline Tax , Gross Receipts Tax Hunting License Tax Inheritance Tax Inventory Tax CRA Interest Charges CRA Penalties (tax on top of tax) Liquor Tax Marriage License Tax Medicare Tax Personal Property Tax Property Tax Real Estate Tax Service Charge Tax Social Security Tax Road Usage Tax Sales Tax Recreational Vehicle Tax School Tax Provincial Income Tax Provincial Unemployment Tax Telephone Federal Excise Tax Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax Telephone Federal, Provincial and Local Surcharge Taxes Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax Telephone Usage Charge Tax Utility Taxes Vehicle License Registration Tax Vehicle Sales Tax Watercraft Registration Tax Well Permit Tax Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 76 years ago, and our nation was one of the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What the hell happened? Can you spell "politicians!" And I still have to press "1" for English! Am I the only one really po'd ?
|
|
|
Post by TBEAR on Aug 11, 2007 2:15:00 GMT -6
I got that in an email awhile back Z, and its true.
|
|
irish
New Member
Posts: 4
|
Post by irish on Oct 10, 2007 8:29:41 GMT -6
i think before answering the question of builiding a new courthouse and jail, ( and i think both are needed within the next five years) their should be some discussion on the policy of the district attorney's office employing so many part time assistant district attorney's. most of whom know or are practicing defense / civil attorney's and the da's office has become a plea bargining factory. there are factors involved outside the da's control; the numbers of cases is rising, lack of manpower bedspace for probation and parole violators,( and bedspace period) and having district attorneys in office who have one duty day out of the week (unless there is court) and the rest they are at thier private practive- i am not saying the da's are unable to do thier job, however one day a week in not enough to suffice aggresive prosecution...examination of public records would be interseting...multi-kilo cocaine offenders receive probation, person who embezzle hundreds of thousands, probation, sexual predators who plead to relitive felony's or misdemeanors with no jail time...if you think this is not true do some research at the clearks office (hopefully they wont charge that much) there needs to be a change for the benefit of the parish...and all i can say is if you dont vote shame on you
|
|
|
Post by zoe10850 on Oct 10, 2007 11:59:30 GMT -6
well irish, you raise some good points. Funding for DA comes from several sources; state, parish, and traffic tickets. To base income on a revenue stream as shaky as traffic tickets is poor at best. The parish should step up and give money tp DA to increase prosecution staff. The Sheriff needs to send all the state prisoners back to the state; we do not need them here. The Sheriff is only interested in generating funds because he is broke. He needs a tax, and will not ask for it. I would support any law enforcement endeavor (except traffic cameras) and certainly salaries for sheriff personnel. Those people earn it. Jailors salaries are pathetic at best. Deputies are underpaid across the board, and the office is understaffed.
Parish govt needs to step forward with clear initiatives of what their job is and quit drifting off into areas that they do not belong (like free enterprise ie. telephone business). Their business is roads, law enforcement, roads, courts, roads...well, you get the picture.
|
|