Louisiana government corruption

November 13, 2008 LaTrac, a new website detailing state spending in Louisiana, has been officially launched. The site is part of Gov. Bobby Jindal's promise of a more accountable and transparent government. It currently contains all spending from the state's accounting system General Ledger, and promises more detailed information in the future.

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November 17, 2008 New Orleans' City Council member Stacy Head says that the information the city spent $250,000 on an audit for should have been free. The audit was to determine the number of houses serviced by the city's two trash contractors. However, the trash contractors are supposed to invoice the city monthly with a count of "serviced locations."

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November 12, 2008 Things became heated at a New Orleans City Council budget hearing, leading Sanitation Director Veronica White to storm out of the room. The eruption happened when Councilwoman Stacy Head accused White of withholding information on the garbage service contract, which White was there to justify.

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October 20, 2008 Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell issued an opinion backing the New Orleans City Council ordinance to open the city's contracting process. The ordinance would hold the mayor's professional services contract procurement process accountable under the Louisiana Open Meetings law.

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October 7, 2008 On October 4, the future of the office of Inspector General was put in the hands of voters, who overwhelmingly voted to make it permanent. The approved proposition essentially adds the watchdog to the city charter, while also dedicating funding to the office.

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October 9, 2008 Problems continue to plague New Orleans' crime camera program. In a closed door meeting of the city council's Public Works committee, interim chief technology officer M. Harrison Boyd revealed that Ciber, Inc has been paid $2.8 million this year to maintain the city's cameras. The only problem is that, according to Councilwoman Stacy Head, no such contract existed.

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