Another player in this game called Corruption

As I talked about earlier, the FBI are cracking down on corruption especially concerning hurricane-related transactions. The Times-Picayune reported in today’s paper that the mayor of Mandeville, Eddy Price, was subpoenaed for public documents and was also questioned about his relationship with St. Tammany city councilman Joe Impastato and Mandeville’s former director of public works, Joe Mistich.

Mistich is the contractor identified by the initials "J.M." in a federal indictment of Impastato, hired by the councilman to clear land in Lacombe for a debris disposal project, according to sources close to the investigation.

The agents requested all of the city's records with regard to public works contracts valued at $25,000 or higher, particularly during the period Mistich served as head of that department, Price said Wednesday.

They also asked Price about Mistich's activities outside of the office and whether he thought it was OK for Mistich to run a private construction firm while working for the city.

Lo’ and behold, Mandeville is full of good, ol’ boy politics. I would have never guessed. Everyone knows everyone, and no one better squeal. I really want to know the difference between organized crime and Louisiana politics. There is no difference – they steal from the people they are supposed to be protecting, and they are all “friends” until somebody does something to offend someone else then their out. I think everyone who is confused about what the similarities are should watch Goodfellas.

Bush signs business tax incentives for Gulf Coast

Apparently the federal government is taking steps to help businesses in the Gulf Coast stay in the Gulf Coast.

The tax legislation, which will cost the federal treasury an estimated $8.6 billion in revenue over 10 years, is aimed at encouraging existing companies in the Gulf hurricane zone to remain, while trying to induce new businesses to relocate there with the lure of tax breaks not available elsewhere in the United States.

Some of the provisions are designed to encourage businesses to open up their purse strings by giving tax breaks for purchases within the hurricane disaster regions of Louisiana and Mississippi for everything from real estate to computer software. Others reward companies that continued to pay employees despite being shut down or forced to curtail operations because of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.

Well this is good news for businesses willing to stay in the Gulf Coast areas. I’m also happy to see that there will be provisions for employees.