Informer: 527 group Believe in Louisiana formed in 2008
Published 12:15 pm Sunday, April 7, 2013
Who is the organization called Believe in Louisiana that is presently running campaign ads promoting Gov. Bobby Jindal’s tax proposal? Who finances their ads?
Believe in Louisiana is a tax-exempt political advocacy group registered under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. It pays for the ads using money it receives from contributors.
The group was formed in 2008 by Rolfe McCollister, a former Jindal campaign treasurer and transition team chairman.
McCollister, who was appointed last year to the LSU Board of Supervisors, is the owner of Louisiana Business Inc., which publishes the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report.
The top contributors to Believe in Louisiana in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics:
Dore Energy — $100,000.
Ryan LLC — $50,000.
Centene Corp. — $50,000.
Taylor Energy — $40,000.
Central Management — $40,000.
Bollinger — $25,000.
Madden Contracting — $25,000.
Amedisys Inc. — $25,000.
USAA — $25,000.
Galliano Marine Services — $20,000.
EG Beebe — $20,000.
Florida Marine — $10,000.
Turner-Windham LLC — $10,000.
AT&T — $10,000.
LB Interests LLC — $10,000.
Academy of Training Schools LLC — $6,000.
Edgear LLC — $5,000.
K&B Machine Works LLC — $5,000.
Kisatchie Corp. — $5,000.
Manda Meats — $5,000.
BD Callais and Associates — $5,000.
LUBA Casualty Insurance Co. — $5,000.
Major Equipment and Remediation Services — $5,000.
Though the Center for Responsive Politics list ranks donors by the aggregate amounts they gave, it doesn’t account for all the money given by donors affiliated with both any of the above companies and other businesses.
For example, Academy of Training Schools is owned by Iowa, La., businessman Lee Mallett, who also owns several other businesses that gave money to Believe in Louisiana — $1,000 each from four other companies.
Incidentally, Mallett, like McCollister, was appointed to the LSU Board of Supervisors last year.
Other local contributors — several of which share owners — according to Internal Revenue Service records:
DeRidder Retirement & Rehab Center, DeRidder — $250.
Westwood Manor Nursing Home, DeRidder — $250.
Comm-Care Corp., Lake Charles — $3,250.
St. Martin De Porres Multi-Care Center, Lake Charles — $250.
Kinder Retirement & Rehabilitation, Kinder — $250.
St. Frances PFU LLC, Oberlin — $250.
Rosepine Retirement & Rehabilitation, Rosepine — $250.
Law: Standing cars must leave open lane
Is it legal to allow existing traffic lanes to be used as a parking lot for parents waiting to pick up their kids? Both Nelson Road and McNeese Street are used by parents as a parking lot. This renders the traffic lanes unusable for regular traffic twice a day for more than an hour each morning and afternoon.
As The Informer reported in October, R.S. 32:141 mandates that “an unobstructed width of the highway opposite a standing vehicle shall be left for the free passage of other vehicles.”
McNeese Street and Nelson Road each has four lanes, making it possible to leave an open lane for non-school traffic.
Online: www.legis.la.gov.
The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098, press 5 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com
(Associated Press)
