Stick A Fork In Bobby Jindal's Presidential Aspirations

Gov. Bobby Jindal turns out to be a big spender when it comes to handing out corporate welfare to wealthy sports team owners. Jindal is proposing to use $85 million of Louisiana's rainy day funds to renovate the Super Dome and surrounding properties. Part of his plan calls for a sweetheart lease deal with Saints' owner Tom Benson, whereby the state agrees to rent 320,000 square feet of vacant office space in the neighboring Dominion Tower, which Benson will acquire. Louisiana state government is already paying $23.5 million in inducements to Benson this year. Under the new plan, the state will still continue to pay out $6 million a year to Benson, along with leasing all of the space in his new office building. Not all lawmakers were approving of Jindal's plan. “Again, behind closed doors, we’re supplementing a multimillionaire. When do we stop the madness and worry about education and health care?” asked state Rep. Karen St. Germain, D-Pierre Part, and chairwoman of the House Democratic Caucus.

UPDATE: Field of Schemes has more on this outrage here. It points out the more than $200 million the government already spent renovating the Super Dome following Hurricane Katrina.