Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Republican Caucus- "We have forced the issue"
TIMES PICAYUNE
BY ED ANDERSON
(excerpt)
"We have forced the issue," (State Rep.) Jim Tucker said. "She (Blanco) was not talking about calling a special session back in September" and now is saying she will call one in early December.
(State Sen.) Tom Schedler said that he is pleased that the effort "has once again forced the Blanco administration to focus on the insurance, transportation and (the Louisiana) Recovery Authority problems faced by our constituents."
"The issue is not when or who calls the special session, but what is included" in it, Tucker said.
"Our constituents are screaming that insurance costs are killing them, the LRA is a disaster and that due to shifting population, transportation needs in some areas are huge. . . . Now, being prodded and pushed, maybe she will" include those items in her call for a special session, he said.
Tucker said the Republicans want to see a permanent solution to the fiscal problems of Citizens and possibly overhaul its operations or abolish it entirely. All homeowners policies now are being assessed 15 percent to 18 percent of their premium to help prop up Citizens; that drops to 3.6 percent next year and 5.5 percent in 2008.
