Fifth District Congressman Rodney Alexander sponsored “earmarks” of nearly $1 million for the Greater North Louisiana Community Development Corporation (GNLCDC), a 501(c)3 charity closely allied with the Town of Jonesboro’s controversial mayor Leslie Thompson.
An investigation by Lincoln Parish News Online (LPNO) has revealed that a fiscal year 2008 Small Business Administration (SBA) earmark of $650 thousand was sponsored by Alexander.
See here the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) citation.
For the FY 2009, the Alexander sponsored earmark was for $300 thousand.
See here the OMB citation.
08/03/2012 at 5:18 am |
Which “project” was this money for Mr. Abbott? Can you find out what this was used for?
Have you looked at all the State of Louisiana earmarks yet?
08/03/2012 at 6:48 pm |
It looks like the $650,000 may have went to the Herbert Simmons, Sr. Small Business Learning Center. The building was built around 2008 with financial help from the Small Business Administration and Rep. Alexander according to the group’s website.
08/03/2012 at 6:14 am |
I would like to know the number of local citizens that were provided services by the Simmons using this money.
In other words, show me the use of the tax dollars that improved the community.
I realize the Simmons and their family have “lived” off the grants ….her father is the treasurer and he lives in Lafayette.
What was the money spent on? Other than the Simmons.
08/03/2012 at 6:41 am |
Grambling State University
Grambling State University, Grambling, LA for the Greater North Louisiana Community Development Corporation
Grambling, LA Financial Services $300,000 $0 $0 $0
Is Grambling now being used to get money too? Here is a very interesting website: http://www.opensecrets.org-just look under earmarks.
08/03/2012 at 7:03 am |
Very interesting….and GNLCDC is the Simmon$ and Mr. Herb Simmon$ is on $taff at Grambling….what a nice gift, neatly wrapped and tied with a fabulou$ bow!
Heading to work today…instead of working, we all need to figure out how to write grant$ to support our dream$….I mean ourselve$…
08/03/2012 at 7:22 am |
I am against all this type of government at any level handing out money; untimately, no matter what the reason or purpose that is stated, it is all politicking money. Louisiana hands out millions every year through the Governor’s slush fund. Ultimately this is Our (people’s) money that was confiscated from us “for a public purpose” than offered back to us if we’ll play ball, either politically or socially.it was ours to start with, I say we cut out the middleman (government) and do what we like with it.
08/03/2012 at 7:29 am |
I think North Louisiana needs a group just like this:The Metropolitan Crime Commission (MCC) is a non-profit, citizen’s organization dedicated to exposing and eliminating public corruption and to reducing the incidence of crime and improving the administration of justice in order to improve the quality of life for citizens in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans metropolitan areas and throughout Louisiana.
Through its programs, the MCC holds public officials and employees accountable for corrupt, unethical, and wasteful practices and works to enhance the safety of our community:
Anti-Public Corruption Program: Allows citizens and public employees to report criminal or unethical acts or acts of administrative wrongdoing committed in the course of public service or employment. Callers can provide information in the strictest of confidence and may be eligible for rewards.
Research Program: Conducts objective research to raise the level of accountability and efficiency in the adult and juvenile criminal justice systems.
Wanted By The Law Program: A weekly publication in the Times-Picayune engaging the public’s help in removing wanted criminals from the community.
The MCC is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit citizen’s organization primarily funded by tax-deductible contributions from individuals, businesses, and private foundations. Your support will help us continue our fight to improve our community through more efficient government operations and a more effective criminal justice system
Borrowed from Metropolitan Crime Commission Website.
If there were something like this in place in North Louisiana, we might see more emphasis on anti corruption and crime. This group has been very successful in many high profile cases and they do something that is very obviously missing here, the job the public entrusts their funds to actually have utilized for, a public service.
08/03/2012 at 7:43 am |
So these earmarks are 3 and 4 years old? WOW that is a NEWSFLASH!
08/03/2012 at 7:55 am |
Yes it is newsworthy, look around at what those tax dollars aka earmarks did or didn’t do for the taxpayer…….same thing as always….catering to a select group for a select vote or contribution.
08/07/2012 at 11:58 am |
Absolutely correct Henry. All I can see are the buildings they have built for THEIR personal gain. Look around downtown, I cannot see anything any different from what it has been for years.
And, those that do benefit, what is the ratio of white/black?
08/03/2012 at 7:47 am |
Oh is that right Ms.Stringer?? Is that what you think we need? You think that will benefit us in some way against the crooks?? Really think that? Well i will tell you what I think….Ms.Stringer…..I think we need you as Mayor!! Thats what I think!
Wake up people, come next election, lets pray there is a name on the ballot of someone that lead Jonesboro in a direction it needs to go. A name of someone that will lead the town strictly “by the books”, that will not fsll to corruption and will do what is right and best for our town. Let’s pray Renee Stringer’s name is on the ballot!!!
08/03/2012 at 8:09 am |
In an educational setting – yes. Any other setting, personal preference.
Just remember that the way to get the PHD is BS-MS-PHD which sometimes stands for BullS***, More of the Same, Pile it Higher and Deeper
This post is for all those who want to be called “Dr.” outside of academia (school) including the King of the Local Grants
08/03/2012 at 8:14 am |
there is something to be said for anyone that achieves a higher education, in most circumstances that person is respected and their actions and comport dictate that respect, however, there are those individuals that DEMAND to be recognized and those usually are the ones that bought those letters…….by one means or another……
08/03/2012 at 8:15 am |
Maybe Dr. Simmons thinks he is ALWAYS in the educational setting.
Educating ALL the fine folks of Jackson Parish.
08/03/2012 at 8:13 am |
Does any one know the reason the Simmons have relocated to Jonesboro?
Did the grants run dry from the last location?
No more government jobs in that area?
Just wondering what the truth is/was…..Mrs. Simmons has a family in Lafayette…Brother with a big church….wondering how Jonesboro is comparing to Lafayette.
Interesting that they choose to live in a rural area (more grants for rural areas and fewer takers????) yet send their children to a private school in another parish.
Why did they move to Ruston …closer to Grambling and Cedar Creek?
Fewer grant opportunities in Ruston and Grambling?????
08/03/2012 at 8:13 am |
Meant “why did they NOT move to Ruston….”
08/06/2012 at 9:55 pm |
Probably not as good a chance to “funnel” money into their deep pockets.
08/03/2012 at 8:16 am |
does anyone smell a rat? wonder if rodney got a kickback from herb?
08/03/2012 at 8:23 am |
If you read the OMB Citation you will see that they misspelled corruption where they write “. . . including programmatic and construction activities.” I find it strange, very strange that no one knew of this until now and from reading the comments above, no one seems able to track down what the money was used for. Me thinks that nearly a million dollars will line a lot of pockets and if any was spent on Grambling, I ask “When was Grambling incorporated into Jonesboro?”
08/03/2012 at 9:46 am |
It could have been “look ahead”. It is named Greater North Louisiana Community Development Corporation not just Jonesboro or Jackson Parish. The scope of this could be un-ending.
08/03/2012 at 8:27 am |
That ‘rareified’ of Washington DC has sure changed ‘good ole boy’, country boy, Rodney. He used to be one of us Louisianians, now ‘he’s a DC Playa.’
08/03/2012 at 8:27 am |
Rareified air
08/03/2012 at 10:21 am |
Democrat to Repugnicant. That’s Alexander. God, a ride on Air Force One must be intoxiating to bring about such a change. I know tons of people that think he is doing good for Jackson Parish. A quote from one of my least favorite movies – show me where the money went. (paraphrasing). I watch C-Span (Direct TV Channel 350) hoping to catch the Rod rising in support of or rising to voice his objectiton to something and as of yet have not seen hide nor hair of him. Perhaps, I just watch at the wrong time. But I do read his newsletter and he parrotts all of the things the leadership tell him to say. Oh, by the way, he ranks 36th in the amount of earmarks that he has made – top ten percent!
08/03/2012 at 10:44 am |
RINO-Republican In Name Only, just like the Attorney General for the State of Louisiana. Democrat through and through just changed the name to get the vote…..repugnant indeed, grovel at the feet of those that wave a hand full of votes and and wrap it all up in the neat little package called Republican. But if you have been feasting at the table as a liberal Democrat all your life, what else can one expect?
08/05/2012 at 9:42 pm |
Well vote his ass right out of office
08/03/2012 at 9:30 am |
Shine the light on the things hidden by the dark
08/03/2012 at 9:37 am |
I would like to see results on the funding received. Wasn’t grant money used for the theater and for Tracy’s? And, if so, for what? Tracy’s looks like it is being used for storage for junk. I thought when you received a grant you had a certain amount of time to use it. They must be USDA community development grants. But, sitting idle full junk isn’t much to do with development.
With “earmarks”, I doubt there is any accountability.
08/03/2012 at 11:48 am |
I agree with GothicArc that all government funding of this type is used to buy support at the polls for whichever candidate is handing it out, and I’m also against earmarks or any other government funding of this type. To paraphrase J.G. Wentworth’s commercials, ‘It’s our money!” We should be allowed to keep as much as possible and fund only the most basic and necessary functions of government. Government should not be in the business of handing out our hard earned money to others. Having said all of that, Rodney Alexander has been on record for years supporting earmarks as a way to return to Louisiana as much money as possible to cover what we taxpayers send to DC each year. As a state, we pay out more in taxes than we receive in government funding and Rodney has always sought to redress that discrepancy with earmarks. I’m not defending the practice, but describing Rodney’s rationale for supporting earmarks. I believe all levels of government need to be drastically downsized and as much power as possible pushed from the federal level down to the local level where it is more responsible to local citizens. We have way too many of these local museums and cultural interests than we can afford to support. Local fundraising ought to be utilized for these projects if there s a true need for them. My tax dollars shouldn’t be wasted on them.
08/03/2012 at 2:43 pm |
What ever became of the ”Gate City ” sewer project ???
08/03/2012 at 3:39 pm |
Good question. Since Fanny and crew were 100% behind along with the mayor, I am sure it is lurking about still. It wouldn’t surprise me if Fanny helped cooked this FA up to save face on the continual grants pouring into Jonesboro with no one minding the finances. People won’t support a sewer project when imbeciles hold the purse strings. Food for thought…..hmmm
08/05/2012 at 8:30 am |
Pay very close attention to who sits on the Gate City Sewer Board now, it is very interesting to say the least.,
08/06/2012 at 8:29 am |
The Gate City Project is still moving forward. PREVIOUS boards terms expired and new appointees came from the previous board and not from Fannin. You still do not realize the majority of the money is going to the North Pond whom all citizens complain about in regards to smell to say the least. The money is not coming as a lump sum to the town of Jonesboro, but as the invoices are submitted they are paid from the state.
08/07/2012 at 9:08 pm |
Pretty interesting that once the FA appeared, the TOJ was removed off the non compliance list……hmmmmm, don’t it make you wonder?