Representatives of Blueprint Louisiana, a nonpartisan group of business, community and civic leaders from across the state, explained its five-part agenda to fundamentally improve Louisiana during an Eggs-and-Issues forum this morning at the Sliman Theater.

Sponsored by the Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce, the event afforded Lafayette lawyer Clay Allen and Bill Fenstermaker, CEO of C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates, one of South Louisiana's premier surveying and engineering firms, both New Iberia natives, the opportunity to present the group's vision for a better Louisiana.

Dating back to its purchase from Napoleon Bonaparte, Louisiana's system of government "has enslaved its people and destined it to a future without its best and brightest," said Allen, who added that he has always been proud to say he is originally from New Iberia, "It's the Louisiana part of the equation that was the problem."

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"We used to be known as the state that would elect inept politicians. That's changed," said Fenstermaker. "Now we're known as the state that will re-elect inept politicians. As fate would have it, term limits are taking their effect and now is a wonderful time to put forward a plan."

The pair explained that the Blueprint plan was developed following a series of regional workshops in nine areas of the state and attended by more than 750 people.

Fenstermaker said the findings of each of the workshops mimicked each other and Blueprint decided to champion five major items during the 2007 campaign.

Listed by Blueprint in order of importance, those items include:

Adopt the nation's best ethics laws.

"To establish Louisiana as a national model for ethics in government, existing laws must be strengthened in a number of areas," Allen said.

Those areas include legislative financial disclosure, enhanced lobbyist regulations, transparency in state funding of local projects and "putting some teeth" into the state Ethics Board.

Prepare students for a lifetime of success.

The state should continue to expand its nationally recognized pre-K program which Allen said "prepares a child for a lifetime of learning." Blueprint is proposing a TOPS-type program for every 4-year-old in the state.

The state also must do more to prepare high school students for careers and college, while decreasing the drop-out rate, Fenstermaker said.

Develop the skilled workforce the state needs.

By improving coordination with industry leaders and developing "rapid response" capacity, the state's community and technical colleges can prepare citizens for greater success in the workplace and provide Louisiana companies with skilled workers to grow their businesses, Allen explained.

Provide first-class access to health care.

Though ranked fourth in the five-part agenda, Fenstermaker said "this may be the biggest plank in Blueprint's effort because it affects more people."

According to the Blueprint plan, the responsibility for providing care to the uninsured should be shared by the private and public sectors, with an emphasis on local governance, allowing LSU to focus on world-class medical education and research instead of providing the current charity form of care.

Build a superior transportation system.

"We must look at the overall picture and embrace the T-word (tolls) with our mega-projects," Fenstermaker said.

"Also, existing transportation revenues should be dedicated to transportation projects," Allen added.

Blueprint Louisiana plans to present its agenda, along with a contract, to each candidate in each major or statewide race. As the elections draw nearer, Blueprint will, through media advertising, list those candidates who have signed the contract - and those who have not - Allen said. Following the election, Blueprint will continue to monitor elected officials to ensure that the contracts are being followed, the lawyer added.

"This election cycle presents the greatest opportunity in my lifetime for people with the will to change to rise up and speak with one voice and demand a change," Allen said.