McPherson’s White Lake oversight
   Senator Joe McPherson can’t or won’t stop his ongoing attempts to politicize the generous gift that B-P Amoco gave to the state.
   In a senate bill introduced by McPherson, he proposes to increase state control over the White Lake Refuge by creating an advisory board to guide the management of the wildlife area and to set up a fund to pay for the costs. Is this what the state really needs, another board for politicians to control? And more taxpayers’ money?
   McPherson says that he discussed the changes with several people in the company and they said they are not firm on any one form of governance but that they just want to protect the ecosystem and treasure that the property represents. McPherson neglected to say who these officials of the company are and we suggest that this is important because we don’t believe this was the intent of B-P Amoco at the time of the donation.
And it would not surprise us if B-P Amoco, tiring of McPherson’s squabbles, decided to revoke the gift, keep it or give it to someone else.
  In addition to the 70,000 acre donation, B-P Amoco will gift $250,000 annually to help manage and maintain the property: the only property of its kind in America.
The University of Texas would love to get the donation and there is a distinct possibility that they will eventually get it if the Louisiana Legislature tinkers with the act of donation.
  If McPherson really did talk to B-P Amoco officials as he says he did, he should make known who those officials are so as not to jeopardize losing the gift. And the other legislators should verify the accuracy of his statements before taking them as gospel.
Someone once said: “don’t look gift horses in the mouth”. To tinker with the wishes of B-P Amoco doesn’t strike me as being wise and to change the terms of the donation at this late date is definitely unwise.
   This very thoughtful, extremely generous and exquisite gift from B-P Amoco should be appreciated by every Louisiana citizen, including McPherson. The senate and house should send his bill packing.

Interesting legislation
proposed by Rep. DeWitt
   This legislative session has been marked by its lack of any aggressive agenda. While there have been scattered bills which have garnered interest, such as pay raises for elected officials, and ethics reform, by and large very little major legislation has been introduced.
   A bill sponsored by Representative Charlie DeWitt seems to be an exception.
DeWitt’s bill contends that when gaming was enacted, the legislature intended the process to be competitive and diverse. He believes that open competition is good for the industry and helps to weed out corruption. His bill expresses concern that growing “monopolies” threaten the state for several reasons; chief among them being the potential for undue political influence and power.
   Dewitt’s bill makes sense. Gaming has exploded across the nation over the last decade as more and more states open their borders to bigger and better casinos. Whether one believes that gaming is good or bad, few can dispute that competition is good for the industry and is good for the state.
   At least one gaming company now holds five licenses; two in Lake Charles, two in the Shreveport/Bossier area, and one in New Orleans. It appears that DeWitt’s fears may be well founded. How much of the restricted gaming market should the state let one company garner? How does the emergence of one company as a dominant force in the industry further competition or the state’s best interests?
   Opponents of DeWitt’s bill complain that it may require a company to divest itself of at least one of its licenses to come into compliance with the law. The opponents should recognize that these licenses, when issued, are privileges, not rights. These licenses require renewal, and renewal is never guaranteed.
   We will see just how powerful the industry has become as this bill navigates its way through the Capital. Will the bill be heard and voted upon? Or will DeWitt’s fears of too much political power prove true? We will see.
Milo A. Nickel is the former President and COO of Louisiana State Newspapers.

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