Although she speaks to the many accomplishments made by her administration, Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco knows her legacy ultimately will be shaped by hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the state’s subsequent rebuilding effort.

The departing governor said the federal government’s response was partisan in nature, adding Louisiana’s own Washington D.C. delegation stumbled out the gates because of partisan stances.

During a wide-ranging 45-minute interview Monday morning at The Daily Iberian, Blanco described the state’s congressional representation as “splintered” in the days and weeks following Hurricane Katrina.

Advertisement

“That is the reason we had problems in Washington, because our delegation took partisan positions,” the Democratic governor said. “In a disaster, that should never happen — nor should the national response be partisan — but it was.”

Blanco said there was an antagonistic attitude from the Republican-led Congress from the start.

“They wanted to suggest that it was our fault and that we sat in the way of a hurricane. It is not our fault,” Blanco said. “All kinds of natural disasters are going to be with us. We suffered an extraordinary problem because of a federal levee failure. That is a manmade disaster on top of a natural disaster.”

Blanco pointed to the response in Mississippi as a sure sign of political favoritism. As of this month, she said 17,000 homes will have been funded to be rebuilt in Mississippi as compared to 90,000 in Louisiana.

“Instead of using the word blame, let’s just say Congress did not fund us proportionate to our need, but it did overfund Mississippi proportionate to their need,” Blanco said.

The Democrat said she had to go back to a GOP-controlled White House — even six months after the storm slammed into Louisiana — and justify everything the state said it needed, while Mississippi didn’t need to follow the same requirements.

“You tell me, is that is not political?” Blanco said.

Blanco said Louisiana just recently received commitments on the last $3 billion promised in federal funding.

Education

In providing a 2004-08 progress report for Louisiana, the Blanco administration highlighted 11 points of educational recognition, including leading Louisiana’s largest increased education investment, and committing more than $700 million in a fiscal year 07-08, above regular funding.

A one-time teacher at Breaux Bridge High School, Blanco led efforts to raise teachers’ pay to the Southern regional average and spearheaded funding for numerous pre-kindergarten programs.

“I put a lot of my energy in economic development so that we can generate the money to invest in education,” Blanco said. “When you invest in education, you invest in our people. That gives them the strength to go forward.”

The governor’s progress report also points to providing full formula funding for Louisiana’s colleges and universities for the first time in more than 25 years and expanding Louisiana’s dual enrollment opportunities for high school students to earn college credit at technical and community colleges, as well as universities.

“We have laid the foundation and I give credit to (former) Gov. (Mike) Foster for laying the strong foundation for education,” Blanco said. “I picked up the mantle from him and brought it to another level. I hope that is what happens in the future administration.”

Administration records indicate student ACT scores improved from 19.3 in 2003 to a record high of 20.1 in 2006.

“I put over $700 million new dollars in education. We’ve never seen that kind of enhancement benefit in one year of education,” she said. That is going to set the stage to have more successes in economic development.”

Economic Development

Katrina’s and Rita’s impact to Louisiana has been only negative. In a way, it has set the stage for change in Louisiana. Blanco said that with the rebuilding under way, she is “perfectly content in stepping aside and letting someone else carry out the future missions.”

The governor’s progress report indicates $8.15 billion in new capital investments was brought home. More than 28,000 new jobs were created during her administration, while an additional 13,000 jobs will come in the near future.

“I think I can safely say I am the first governor who really put a heavy focus on economic development,” she said.

Blanco’s report points to cuts in sales taxes in manufacturing machinery and equipment, cutting the corporate franchise tax on debt, cutting state sales taxes on natural gas and utilities and making permanent the Investor Tax Credit as ways she strengthened Louisiana businesses. 

“I always knew we would recover (from the hurricanes),” Blanco said. “I also knew it would be very painful and very difficult for our citizens. When you have that much loss and people are hurting, it’s very, very hard to get it up quickly.” 

Decision to leave

The previous election cycle marked the first time in 24 years the name Kathleen Babineaux Blanco was not on the ballot. The former lieutenant governor, Public Service Commission member and state representative said she feels just as much at peace today with her decision not to run as the day she made it.

In fact, she did not immediately recall where she spent election night a couple months ago, later remembering it was in Lafayette because the Saturday doubled as homecoming for the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

The governor described this year’s election season as “fun” and “predictable.”

“There was not any mystery,” she said. “For me personally, I could kick back like a regular old citizen.”

Blanco said she will start a  new life and new career path when she officially hands over the keys to the governor’s mansion Jan. 14.

“I am ready to shift gears and have another life,” she said.