CATS Bill Coming to House Floor Later This Week

March 28, 2012 0 Comments

BATON ROUGE — The House Committee on Municipal, Parochial & Cultural Affairs voted to approve CATS legislation HB 865 by Rep. Regina Barrow Thursday morning by a vote of 13-3. The committee is heavily Democratic.

This legislation is part of Rep. Barrow’s package of bills to take away the power of the Metro Council to oversee the activities of the Capital Area Transit System (CATS).

Now the bill will be coming up on the House floor as early as Thursday.

At present, CATS is both the socialized, government-owned bus company for Baton Rouge AND the regulatory authority for private transportation services in East Baton Rouge Parish. Current law provides that its decisions on fares, routes, and schedules are subject to review by the elected members of the City-Parish Metro Council.

However, Rep. Barrow’s bill would take the Metro Council’s oversight out of the law and give CATS sole and exclusive authority to regulate its possible competition — PRIVATE bus companies that desire to serve the Baton Rouge area.

The bill also provides that future members of the CATS board would come from a pool of individuals nominated by organizations that received government funds, such as Together Baton Rouge. Ordinary conservative, small business owners would have little chance of being appointed.

CATS needs to be replaced with a privatized alternative. But this legislation would prevent that by allowing this board to decide the fares, routes, and schedules of its possible private competitors.

The Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish voted unanimously Tuesday night to oppose this legislation. Citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting and let their voices be heard.

Please call Republican state representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish and ask them to oppose and speak against HB 865. The representatives are Eric Ponti, Franklin Foil, Steve Carter, Hunter Greene, Clif Richardson, Valarie Hodges, and Kenny Havard. The main switchboard at the Capitol is 225-342-6945.