Bossier Deputies deserve better

I have been trying to understand exactly what happened in the "under-withholding" that the sheriff reported, and the ensuing confusion over repayment to the IRS.
The official explanations were as clear as mud, and in fact misleading.
Nothing was "under-withheld". Income was incorrectly reported on Sheriff’s employees pay stubs and W-2’s for 10 years. Ten years until an employee looked at her pay stub and realized that it was incorrect.
Ten years without, apparently, any oversight that would have caught this error.
From what I am able to gather from people in the know, the sheriff agreed in 2002 to start paying 2% that employees had been paying toward retirement. The problem was, that although the sheriff paid the retirement system, employees’ pay still reflected that 2% as deferred income, rather than as taxable income. The result of this, of course, was that when these employees filed their yearly return, the income they reported was actually lower than it should have been.
The IRS only has records, according to the sheriff, for the last 3 years. The cumulative total of what is owed for 2008, 2009 and 2010, and I would assume that this would include interest and penalties, is $689,000.
Employees were given the option to pay their share by December 5^th, or alternately to have 2% deducted from their pay until it is paid. This, supposedly, was part of an agreement reached with the IRS. How it will be credited to each individual employee, I have no idea. Why the sheriff couldn’t just issue corrected W-2’s and let each employee deal with it at tax time, I have no idea.
Of course, to add insult to injury in a manner that only Larry Deen could come up with, was his ‘joking’ statement to deputies that their paycheck would have a bonus included. Just joking.
Wow.
Oh, and they won’t get that raise next year. Although they are paying their part of the money owed, someone has to pay the interest and penalties. That will be offset by deputies not receiving a raise.
Meanwhile, Larry Deen is sitting on almost half a million dollars in unused campaign contributions. The law closely governs how he can disburse that money to certain non-profit and charitable donations.
Shame he can’t donate it to the Sheriff’s office or to a non-profit set up for that purpose, and relieve the employees of about 2/3 of their burden.

Sonja Bailes - from the frying pan into the fire

Word is that KTBS anchor Sonja Bailes is leaving to work for the Bossier Parish School Board.  I haven't seen an official announcement, though there may be one out there. 
Apparently she will serve as the Ed Baswell/Mark Natale of the school board. 
She is a graduate of Airline High School and has a degree in journalism from Louisiana Tech.

LSU 12-0, but I've changed my mind about one thing

What a game.  LSU just won't be beaten this year.
Second to LSU, I have always liked the Razorbacks, and I have really liked Bobby Petrino as their coach.
After this incident today, I have changed my mind.  As I so eloquently noted in the comments on Andy's blog, he is a poor loser and an asshole to boot (pardon the pun).
He was upset because LSU kicked a field goal when they were already up 39-17.  The reason Les wanted it, of course, was that Alabama beat Arkansas by 24 points, and by going 41-17 so did LSU.
This was Petrino's reaction.

Sheriff’s ‘computer formula error’ raises questions

An error in the sheriff’s payroll computer system is causing all sorts of problems, some of which are a little hard to understand.
The error in computing taxes caused Federal & State taxes to be withheld at an improper, lower rate, than required. Employees are being required to kick in the difference for their 2011 taxes.
The question I have regards the (quoting from the times) ‘taxes owed from 2008 thru 2010’.
Haven’t the individual employees filed their tax returns for those years and paid any taxes owed, or in some cases, received less of a refund than they otherwise would have received?
How can the sheriff owe $689,000 to the IRS or to the State for ‘taxes’ for a three year period when those taxes have already been paid by the employees?
What is the $689,000 for?
We will get into this more next week.
And So it Goes in Shreveport
The Times

Where's my Bottle?

You want me to do WHAT with this cup thing? I'm thinking no....

Spam Mail

Every day it's something.  Do you get a lot of these type things?
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Margaritaville OK, Brotherton, Bennett & Cook win Police Jury

Bossier Parish Police Jury

District 1 – Brotherton over Small
District 3 – Bennett over Cooper
District 4 – Cook over Carter


The proposition to allow another riverboat in Bossier City has passed.
In Shreveport, Barbara Norton was re-elected with 56% of the vote in House District 3.

Sheva Sims won the race for City Judge against Shante` Wells.

Election Day Saturday

Tomorrow is election day, here are a few of the choices that need to be made with my recommendations on some of them.

Amendment 1

To prohibit the levy of new taxes or fees upon the sale or transfer of immovable property, including documentary transaction taxes or fees, or any other tax or fee, by the state or any of its political subdivisions after November 30, 2011. (November 30, 2011) (Adds Article VII, Section 2.3)

Bossier Parish Proposition
Shall Bossier Casino Venture LLC, or its successor(s), be allowed to conduct riverboat gaming along land situated in the Parish of Bossier, State of Louisiana pursuant to approval of petition for change of berth from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board?

Police Jury
In the Police Jury runoffs, voters are faced with the following choices.  I have no recommendation, the voters in each district know their candidates better than I do.
District 1: Brotherton-Small
District 3: Bennett-Cooper
District 4: Carter-Cook


Caddo Races
A couple of other races that are catching some attention are the Senate District 39 race between incumbent Lydia Jackson and former Senator Greg Tarver.
Also the race in Caddo Parish between Lynn Cawthorne and Barbara Norton for the House seat currently held by Norton. Cawthorne is well qualified and would represent the district well. For this reason, and because Barbara Norton is a disgrace, I recommend Cawthorne.

A Scandal or Not?

I very rarely comment on national politics, but with the input today of a Ruston Physician I am ready to jump in.
Herman Cain, who is wildly popular in these parts, has been accused by 5 women who worked for him at the National Restaurant Association of making inappropriate sexual advances. Today Dr. Victor Zuckerman, who is a pediatrician in Ruston, came out in support of his former girlfriend, Sharon Bialek, who was the first accuser.
She said that Cain acted inappropriately.
Cain says he has no idea who Sharon Bialek is. Zuckerman said that Bialek introduced him to Cain years ago, and that Bialek also told him about the incident with Cain.
As for the other 4 women, I’m not that familiar with their stories.
A lot of people are suggesting that the Democrats are behind the women coming out, but I don’t buy that. The timing just isn’t right. If it is being orchestrated, and it probably is, it is by another one of the Republican contenders.
Indeed, Cain himself has blamed Rick Perry, saying it is ‘despicable’. Perry, in turn, blamed Mitt Romney.
I’m withholding judgment for a couple of reasons.
First of all, if there is more it will come out. So far it is ‘she said, he said’. It is better to have this fully vetted now. If Cain should get the nomination (and I don’t believe there is a chance of that), imagine more coming out when he is actually a candidate.
I’m also holding back because I have seen this a lot of times. It is a pattern, and hopefully Cain will be the exception.
1. The accusation.
2. The denial (I did not have sex with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky).
3. The attack on the accusers by the poltician and his minions.
4. More damning information comes out and there is an apology of sorts (I committed a serious sin).
That’s why I’m going to wait and see.
Now Herman Cain may be the biggest horndog in the country, or not. I have no idea. The problem I would have, as I have had with countless others, is that if something is proven, he has been lying to cover up. I don’t like liars.
If nothing more comes up, all the better, he can survive the storm.


Pat has this over at And So it Goes in Shreveport

What the Bossier Parish School Board is facing

The Bossier Parish School Board is faced with a daunting task, namely looking at all of the facts and figures and deciding if they can accommodate the anticipated growth in the system on the current tax millage, or if they need to seek an increase.
The Board tasked the joint venture of SGB Architects & Yates Construction to assess and propose needed changes. A number of proposals were put forth, from building of new schools to extensive renovations and additions.
Among the possibilities are a new Airline High School and a new Benton High School.
The new Airline would carry a price tag of $53,000,000 plus an additional $10,000,000 for an athletic complex. The alternative for Airline would be an addition of 24 classrooms, a cafeteria expansion and other renovations for a total of just over $21,000,000.
A new Benton High School would cost just over $40,000,000 plus $10,000,000 for an athletic complex. Also being considered is building a new Benton Middle School at a cost of $20,000,000, moving Benton Elementary into the current Benton Middle School after adding a 12 classroom wing at a cost of $2,500,000. The alternative would be spending $16,000,000 for additions and renovations on all three Benton schools.
Other upgrades, additions and renovations that are on the table include:

• Apollo Elementary $6,819,179
• Bellaire Elementary $2,208,834
• Bossier Elementary $4,746,233
• Bossier High $8,601,330
• Butler Educational Complex $1,701,378
• Carrie Martin Elementary $3,324,053
• Central Park $3,249,607
• Greenacres Middle $9,216,840
• Haughton Middle $5,802,217
• Haughton High $16,377,093
• Kerr Elementary $2,767,968
• LA New Tech Plain Dealing $4,691,050
• Legacy Elementary $374,400
• Meadowview Elementary $3,467,454
• Parkway High $5,430,000
• Plantation Park $5,494,782
• Platt Elementary $2,365,620
• Princeton Elementary $4,115,652
• Rodes Elementary $2,010,578
• Rusheon Middle $4,168,727
• Stockwell Place $2,462,555
• Sun City Elementary $4,611,582
• W.T. Lewis Elementary $2,625,000
• Waller Elementary $3,290,139

The board is also looking at building a new technical school at a possible cost of $25,000,000, probably on the campus of Bossier High School.
Board member Jack Raley is pushing for the technical school, while Mike Mosura and Glen Bullard are very vocal in favor of a new Airline High School.
Board President Alison Brigham has the job of trying to keep everyone focused on the big picture.
That big picture, at this point, is that going with all necessary renovations and additions would cost just over $200,000,000, while the ‘full monty’ would be about $450,000,000.
The costs of two new high schools will force more talk of a consolidation of, at least, Airline and Benton High Schools.
The board will meet again next Thursday (November 17th) to begin to piece it together. Expect a bond issue next spring to finance whatever is decided.