Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1987-05-08

Duration: 00:24:53

Subjects: Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1987 | Politics | Government | Teacher pay raises | Education | State employee pay raises

Contributors:

• Hinton, Rob Host
• Roedts, Lynda Reporter
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Long, Jimmy Speaker
• Rushing, Diane Interviewee
• Miller, Nora Interviewee
• White, Emma Interviewee
• Guedry, Debbie Interviewee
• Budd, Virginia Speaker
• Skelton, Fred Speaker
• Jones, Wilmer Interviewee
• Martin, James Speaker
• Sumrall, Herb Interviewee
• Webb, Garland Interviewee
• Odom, Bob Interviewee
• Blackburn, Frank Speaker
• Moffett, Jim Bob Speaker

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 8, 1987, features Rob Hinton and Lynda Roedts reporting on the third week of the 1987 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Roedts first reports on Governor Edwin Edwards’ teacher pay raise plan, which calls for a one cent sales tax on exempted items, like food and drugs, and is tied to a new teacher evaluation program. Her report includes: highlights of Governor Edwards, State Representative Jimmy Long, Virginia Budd of the Louisiana Association of Educators, and Fred Skelton of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers discussing the plan at a press conference; interviews with teachers Diane Rushing, Nora Miller, Emma White, Debbie Guedry, and Wilmer Jones; and State Representative James Martin testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on his proposed constitutional amendment allowing school boards to enact a property tax to fund teacher pay raises. Next, Hinton conducts an in-studio interview with Herb Sumrall, the director of the Louisiana Department of State Civil Service, and Garland Webb, the president of AFSCME. They discuss the lack of state employee pay raises since 1981 and the Civil Service Commission’s approval of a new civil service pay plan. Lastly, Hinton reports on the week’s headlines. These stories include: Governor Edwin Edwards discussing a bill allowing the state to sell workers’ compensation insurance to businesses; an interview with Commissioner of Agriculture Bob Odom on his support for the ethanol subsidy program; Captain Frank Blackburn of the Louisiana State Police testifying on their loss of recruits to federal agencies; and Jim Bob Moffett, the president of Freeport McMoRan, discussing a public education campaign calling for drastic changes to the state’s economy.