The joint effort from Fox 8 and Nola.com to expose campaign
contributions and their ties to influencing contracts, particularly no-bid
Professional Services Contracts, focused on Jefferson Parish and the
discrepancy in campaign contributions from companies that were bidding on
contracts and those seeking the lucrative, no-bid contracts.
Jefferson Parish Councilmen are permitted to select the
recipients of no-bid professional services contracts up to $300,000, despite
the recommendations of an evaluation committee.
Allowing this process has afforded the Councilmen to receive
millions in campaign contributions from firms and then giving those
contributors huge contracts, all without a bid process to ensure the spending
is efficient and, often, without the most qualified firm receiving the
contract.
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) and Citizens For
Good Government (CFGG) have long criticized this process and pushed for reform.
In fact, CFGG regularly lists the amount of contributions
received by Councilmen from companies seeking parish contracts. At the October16th Council Meeting, Councilmen received over $505,000 in
contributions from companies seeking contracts at that meeting alone.
The members of the Jefferson Parish Council have repeatedly
defended this practice and maintain that, despite the contributions, they
distribute contracts fairly. They also complain that running for office is
expensive.
"I don't sit and look at it like, 'This contractor gave me that
amount,'" said Councilman Mark Spears. "Contributions have nothing to
do with it."
District 4 Councilman Ben Zahn even had the audacity to
defend the contributors.
"To blanketly impugn the reputation(s) of entire industries, when
qualified professionals submit their proposals for consideration publicly, and
such proposals are graded by independent committees, then ranked for council
selection, is simply unfair," Zahn said.
In typical fashion, Zahn issued a statement probably written
by his political consultant, Greg Buisson, instead of speaking directly to a
reporter.
Spears received 75% of his campaign contributions and Zahn
62% of his contributions from companies that received no-bid professional
services contracts.
"I can only speak as to my personal experience in this process,
which has never been guided by contributions," Zahn's statement said.
Yeah, right.
Councilman Zahn may claim that the contributors have no
input in the contracting process but that doesn’t stop him from spending their
money to enhance his own personal lifestyle.
Apparently, Zahn is as quick to spend taxpayer’s money as he is to spend
campaign contributions.
At the last Kenner City Council meeting, Mayor Yenni offered up 2 ordinances for over $600,000 in non-emergency, no-bid professionalservices contracts.
Of course, the companies selected had given Mayor Yenni the
maximum campaign contribution allowed by law and also contributed to each of
the 7 Kenner City Council members.
Both ordinances passed unanimously.
Recently, we took a look at Mayor Yenni’s spending and the use of campaign donations to enhance his lifestyle.
Mayor Yenni spent $50,000 on parades and beads; $16,000 in
framing and thousands more in gifts and meals (including $10,000 funneled to
Chateau Country Club which is owned by his father-in-law and run by Mayor Yenni’s
wife) from his campaign account and using other people’s money.
Hopefully, these reports from Fox 8 and Nola.com will lead
to real contract reform and campaign finance and ethics reforms.
Until then, despite a charter change in Kenner and the
continued protestations of BGR and CFGG, this indefensible practice will
continue and we’ll keep getting the best elected officials money can buy.
In Jefferson Parish and in Kenner.
