October 6, 2025 • 42 mins
You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for October 2, 2025.
0:30 We dive into the newly signed lease agreement keeping the New Orleans Saints in the Caesars Superdome through at least 2035 — and possibly well beyond. The hosts discuss what this deal means for Louisiana taxpayers, the state’s partnership with the Saints, and whether it’s smart public policy to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in a professional sports franchise.
Plus, we cover the top 3 Things You Need to Know.
0:30 We dive into the newly signed lease agreement keeping the New Orleans Saints in the Caesars Superdome through at least 2035 — and possibly well beyond. The hosts discuss what this deal means for Louisiana taxpayers, the state’s partnership with the Saints, and whether it’s smart public policy to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in a professional sports franchise.
Plus, we cover the top 3 Things You Need to Know.
- Congressman Cleo Fields is being accused of committing insider trading.
- Governor Jeff Landry, and Gayle Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints announced a deal to keep the Saints playing in the New Orleans Super Dome through 2035.
- The University of Louisiana at Lafayette announced layoffs and department closures today.
12:30 Get Brain Reward from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20.
13:30 We break down the latest federal government shutdown — and the political spin surrounding it. We dig into the real numbers behind the vote, explaining why they believe the Democrats in the Senate are responsible for closing the government despite the media narrative blaming Republicans.
We also take a closer look at what actually happens during a shutdown, highlighting which essential services keep running in Louisiana and across the nation — from veterans’ hospitals to air traffic control and schools.
23:25 We tackle a new proposal in Shreveport, Louisiana — a 2% fee on water bills designed to fight neighborhood blight and tear down abandoned properties. We break down both sides of the issue: on one hand, the need for local government to address blight and crime; on the other, the strain of yet another fee on families already facing higher utility costs. Are city funds being spent wisely, or are there existing dollars in the budget that could be redirected instead of taxing residents further?
28:00 We Dig Deep into Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s final budget proposal to the New Orleans City Council — a plan that raises taxes and city fees without making any spending cuts, despite a projected $100 million budget shortfall. We break down the proposed half-cent sales tax increase on restaurants, bars, hotels, short-term rentals, and online sales, questioning whether higher tourist taxes could backfire by discouraging visitors and hurting local businesses. We also discuss new fee hikes on permits, parking, and sanitation that could make it harder to operate in the city.
32:30 Get NSorb from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20.
33:30 We continue our discussion of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s proposed New Orleans budget and explore a deeper question: What is government really for? Cities like Dallas, Houston, and Orlando thrive by keeping taxes low and attracting conventions, while San Francisco, Chicago, and New York have seen business and tourism leave under higher tax burdens.
36:30 Plus, we have a little fun guesing the oldes active stadiums in the NFL. Play along!
40:30 And we finish off with a styudy from the University of Pennsylvania that found that when abonaded buildings were demolised, gun assautls dropped.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's able available now with no what official flavors sweeters are,
but trulium base died. It's all natural and it's harvested
on American ground fields.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
It's able.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
You are making Americas smart again.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Baby.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
We choose to go to the moon and do the
other thing, not because they are easy, but because they
are odd. It is time for us to realize that
we're too great a nation to limit ourselves to small dreams.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I have a dream, but one day this nation will
rise up, live out the true meaning of its tree.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
American Ground Radio with Lewis r Avaloni and Stephen Protru.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
This is American Ground Radio Stephen Parr with Lewis sar Avlonas.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
So, the New Orleans Saints have signed a new lease
with the State of Louisiana that will keep the Saints
in the Superdome in Louisiana for at least a decade.
And you know, that's a really big deal. And the
question is, you know, of course, lots of folks say,
should the State of Louisiana be in partnership essentially with
(01:25):
the New Orleans Saints because they own the State of
Louisiana owns the Superdomes. Yes, and of course the Saints
are its major number one tenant obviously.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Well and at the same time, the Benson family owns
a building right next to the Superdome, and the state
is their number one tenant in that building.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Well, and there are folks that say, Benson Tower, I
think that's the building that you're referring to, is costing
the State of Louisiana ten million dollars per year.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Now this deal does drop that rents a little bit,
but it's still a pretty hefty chunk of change that
the state's paying for some office buildings that it may
or may not need.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
But look, so this current Leasse agreement is going to
run through twenty thirty five, and then under the new
deal that will be extended another.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
Five years, could be.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
It's got an option of four or five year extensions,
so that takes us well into the future. And Gail Benson,
the owner of the Saints, I think she put it well.
She said, this extension represents a continued and valued partnership
between the New Orleans Saints and the State of Louisiana.
The demonstrates are intent to be here and fully committed
(02:42):
for many decades.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
Because when her husband was alive.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
There was some thought that he was going to move
the team to I believe it was San Antonio.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
Well, there are.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Lots of NFL teams that have moved over time. I mean,
the Kansas City Chiefs used to be in Dallas. The
Los Angeles Rams used to be in Los Angeles, and
then they were in they were in Saint Louis and
now they're back into Los Angeles. The Chargers, the LA
Chargers used to be in San Diego. The Raiders have
(03:16):
been freaking everywhere. So yeah, I mean moving around is
something that a lot of teams have done in the NFL.
The Tennessee Titans used to be the Houston Oilers.
Speaker 6 (03:26):
It's common in the league.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
So the Superdome, of course, is least to the Saints.
That's what this deal between all the fanfare today between
Covenor Landry and Missus Benson was all about. Right, But
here's the thing, and the terms of the agreement have
not been disclosed, but you know since twenty nineteen, yeah,
(03:48):
almost five hundred million dollars has been poured into upgrades
at the super Dome.
Speaker 6 (03:57):
Yeah, it's a lot of money.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
That is now. I know, a lot of that is
funded with concessions and with other venues other events that
are held at that venue.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Right, because the Superdome doesn't just hold NFL games for
the Saints. I mean one of the biggest things that
has happened at the Superdome recently was the Taylor Swift Series.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
That was huge.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
It was huge, a lot of.
Speaker 6 (04:20):
People coming in. That made some money for the stadium.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
So, yes, the the stadium does have other events that
go in, but it is probably best known for the
being the home of the Saints and being well the
Sugar Dome and host to the Sugar Bowl, the Sugar
Bowl and the host to numerous Super Bowls.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Absolutely, but here's the million dollars. No, this is going
to be a billion dollar question.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Should state governments be in the business of spending taxpayer
dollars to support billion dollars sports franchises?
Speaker 6 (04:53):
No?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
I mean, let me ask you something. Should the Saints.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Should Gale Benson do what Jerry Jones did in Arlington
and build her own stadium.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Well, she could do that, but Arlington also at her expense.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
But Arlington pooned up a whole bunch of money for
Jerry World. I mean, that wasn't all built with Jerry's money.
Jerry put a lot of money into it, and Jerry
owns the building.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
And Arlington, New Orleans is not the same lucrative market
that Dallas Dallas Worthworth area.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Dallas fort Worth is absolutely huge, and Arlington's right in
the middle of Dallas fort Worth. And Arlington's strategic plan
in the Metroplex is to be the home of the
Texas Rangers of six Flags over Texas, of the Dallas Cowboys.
Arlington wants to be that entertainment destination within the Metroplex.
Speaker 5 (05:47):
I mean it is.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Smart business, I believe for the Bensons sure to be
in New Orleans because look the Superdome. It's right there
in the middle of the CBD. It's not like sitting
out in some suburban stadium, right. And at the same time,
there's no dead I mean you look at cities like
(06:09):
Cincinnati or Glendale, Arizona. I mean they are out in
Los Angeles, right, I mean, both for the Chargers and
for the Rams. You're talking about billion dollar structures.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Yes, and the Saints structure has been there since the
nineteen seventies. Yes, we've done some upgrades. Frankly, I was
thinking about this earlier. I think the State of Louisiana
has done a better job of maintaining and upgrading the
Superdome than any other building in the state of Louisiana.
We don't generally do a great job of maintenance in
this state.
Speaker 6 (06:42):
We've got so many things.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
You know, Shreveport lost the Fairgrounds feel because they didn't
do any maintenance on it for years. So that's that's
something that Look, it's good if you're going to invest
in something, you need to maintain it and update it
in the state has done that.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
With the super Dome.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
But yes, it does come at a massive cost, and
there is a legit question of is that a good
use of taxpayer money?
Speaker 5 (07:03):
I think so.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I think keeping the Saints in New Orleans isn't negotiable.
I think losing them would be negotia.
Speaker 5 (07:10):
Everything's negotiable.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Okay, I'm not literally, Yes, it's negotiable. What I'm trying
to say here is is that I think losing them
would be a psychological blow to the city. I think
it would send a message that Louisiana couldn't hold on
to its most visible franchise or assets symbol symbols. Yes,
(07:34):
I agree, I think the New.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Orleans Saints is probably the biggest symbol of Louisiana, even
more so than Marti Gras itself. I think that's I
think that's fair to say. But by the same token,
it is not a wise use of taxpayer dollars just
so that people feel good.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
That's not the role of government.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Government's job is to secure our rights to life, to liberty,
and to the pursuit of happiness. It does not to
guarantee us mental health.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
No.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
But look, and I know I said that the state
invested a half billion dollars in the Superdome. I mean
they owned the state of Louisiana. You are listeners, Louisiana's
you own the Superdome.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
But here's the deal.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
If we didn't do that, don't kid yourself, there would
be cities all across this country that would be salivating.
I think San Antonio there are. It has been rumored many,
many times.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
San Antonios wanted a professional football team since the USFL
when Donald Trump owned a part of that league.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
I guess what I'm saying here is losing the Saints
is not far fetched. No, and I think Louisiana leaders
like Governor Landry understand that, and that's why he cemented
this deal today with Gail Benson to keep the Saints
in New Orleans at least for another decade.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
I think it's good that the Saints are still in
New Orleans. They need to start winning.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
That would be I don't think it's a smart use
of tax dollars, and it's certainly not the reason. No,
it's not a good use taxpayer of dollars, and it's
certainly not the reason why governments are instituted among men.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
This is not the.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Purpose of disagree with you on that, Well, then.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
You're disagreeing with the decoration of independence. Let's get to
the top three things you need to know before tomorrow.
First thing you need no before tomorrow. Congressman Cleil Fields
is being accused of committing insider trading. The new congressman
from the highly gerrymandered second Congressional District apparently bought up
(09:31):
to two hundred thousand dollars worth of Oracle stock on
September seventeenth, eighteenth and twenty third. This all came just
before an announcement from President Trump that Oracle would be
the new majority owner of the popular social media site
TikTok news of that broke on the twenty second of September.
Oracle stock prices are up three percent from the time
Fields purchased his stock. It's not known if Fields had
(09:51):
direct knowledge of the pending TikTok deal when he made
his stock purchases, or if he was just incredibly lucky.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Okay, who is investigating this right now?
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Well?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
This is These are reports coming out online from watchdog groups.
I don't know if anybody is officially investigating this from
the government, But doesn't that look suspicious?
Speaker 4 (10:09):
It sounds like he's attended the Pelosi School of successful investing.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, but it's if that's true, it's borderline criminal behavior.
If not, actually second thing you needble from all. Governor
Jeff Landry and Gail Benson. As we're talking about the
new the owner of the New Orleans Saints, announced a
deal to keep the Saints playing in the New Orleans
Superdome through twenty thirty five. The team's current contract was
set to expire in twenty thirty, but the Governor's office
decided to negotiate a new deal five years early. Governor
(10:37):
Landry said, today is a great deal, not just for
New Orleans, but for our entire state. With this agreement,
we are paving the way for more Saints victories, more
Super Bowl memories, and more economic growth for Louisiana. Gail
Benson said, the Caesars Superdome stands as a model for
sport and stadium leaders on best practices for cutting edge renovations.
We are proud of our committed partnership.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Look, you know, the State of Louisiana. I think they're
being prudent here. I mean because it's not like they're
going out and selling bonds for a billion dollar new arena.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
I think that they're making the best use of what
they have.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
We already have the asset. I get that, I understand that.
And yes, signing a long term deal is a lot
better than building a new stadium.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
I'll give you that. And the third thing you do,
you do before tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
The University of Louisiana Lafayete announced layoffs and department closures today.
Interim President Jamie Abert announced the schools looking at a
twenty five million dollars shortfall. As a result, six employees
were laid off in the school closed the Office of
Sustainability and Community Engagement. Aber also announced a restructuring in
the Office of Communications and Marketing and the Office of
Auxiliary Services. He sent a letter to employees saying, we
(11:37):
are confronting a structural deficit and while we have identified
significant reductions, further action is required to restore fiscal stability.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Well, at least they're addressing their financial situation, unlike the
University of New Orleans that just buries their head in
the sand.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
And aber assist. He hopes to have this SULFI next May.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
We'll bear back.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
You're listening to American Ground Radio.
Speaker 7 (12:00):
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Speaker 3 (13:12):
Welcome back to American Ground Radio, Stephen Part with Lewis
sar Evaloney.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Well, my friends, you know, every single time there is
a government shutdown, the left trots out the same old
tired playbook.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Panic and doom, chaos.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
But wait, they're the ones who caused this shutdown.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Why are they screaming panic and do That's what I
don't understand this one quite.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Because of the Republicans.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
The Republicans are the ones that are causing the shut
down in the first place.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
Real quick, just so sure I understand.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
I need to take notes.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
How many Republicans voted against the spinding bill.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
That would be hold on? Let me check, Oh, that's zero?
Is one voted? Rand Paul voted against the spending bill? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
How many Democrats voted for it?
Speaker 5 (13:59):
All of them?
Speaker 7 (14:00):
Him?
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Uh? For the s the spinning? Are you talking about
the continuing resolution? Yeah, the continued reslution clean? Yeah? How many?
Speaker 6 (14:08):
How many Democrats voted for that?
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Oh? Zero?
Speaker 6 (14:10):
Total of three?
Speaker 5 (14:12):
You had three one in the House, one in the House,
two in the cent two in the Senate.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Okay, So if you have all but one Republican voting
to keep the government open by passing the continued resolutions
to make and you only have three Democrats who voted
in the House and Senate combined, who voted to keep
the government open, who shut down the government?
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Well, of course it was the Democrat.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
See, this is the logic that just doesn't make any
sense at all that the Democrats are blaming the Republicans
because the Democrats voted to shut down the government. That
that is a level of gas lighting that takes. I mean,
the hoodspot on that.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
But you know what the other part of this is
in these shutdowns, while it is not ideal by any means,
it does remind us just how much government is non essential.
I mean, that is the dirty little secret that no
one in the swamp wants to admit. And if you
look at let's just look in Louisiana. What is still
(15:12):
running in Louisiana even though the government is the federal
government is technically shut down. Right, Veteran affairs, medical facilities,
they are still open. Right, Our veterans are still going
to get the care that they need. That's essential. That's continuing.
The VA benefit offices they're closed. But here's the truth, folks.
(15:34):
A lot of people will tell you that they're so
mired in bureaucracy that they can hardly get through, you know,
get through a good day when they're open.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Okay, Okay, So they're being close. You're saying, isn't it
isn't a huge law. It's not a huge service of
them being open.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
But the VA medical facilities, those are still open. Commercial
flights those are still working. Planes are not grounded. Air
traffic controllers and TSA employees are working without pay.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Look, I know Al Gore invented the internet. Is the
Internet still working?
Speaker 7 (16:05):
Internet?
Speaker 5 (16:05):
The Internet is still running?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Ye right?
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Okay, So phone lines full lines are fuone.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
Linch signs are still running.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Louisiana schools have enough federal funding to last the entire
school year.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Okay, so the schools are still Schools are still open.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
The Louisiana National Guard, the monthly drills are postponed, but
they still stand ready to respond to hurricanes or floods
or any state emergency.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
Uh, the Guard remains ready.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
The only you know the only thing that is not happening,
UH is Governor Landry's request to activate a thousand troops
for crime patrols in New Orleans and bat Rouge and
street boards.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
That's put on hold.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
That's that's on hold.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
National parks.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
National parks are are closed for all intents and purposes,
even though the there are some open air exhibits or
open air monuments.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
You can go to the World War Two Monument, you
can go the Lincoln Memorial, you can go to Washington.
You can't go up the Washington Monument, but you can
see the Washington Monument.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Medicaid and SNAP benefits, those are still being administered. They're
state managed, they're following federal rules. They continue. Nobody is
cut off, right, so the essential functions of government keep
right on humming.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
The trash is still picked up.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Grocery stores are open, gas stations are pumping, hospitals are running,
police are on the street.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
The army is still standing watched right now.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
They're not getting paid yet when payday comes around, that's
they're gonna skip that in those I understand.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
But it's not arban gedden right, That's what I'm trying
to say. It's not the apocalypse.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Yeah, and and it's unnecessary because the Democrats were given
the opportunity to keep the government open time and time
and time again. They had multiple votes on the floor
in the Senate this week, and every single time the
Democrats voted against keeping the government open. And then they're
(18:04):
trying to point at the Republicans, Well, the Republicans are
the ones who shut down the government. All it would
have taken would have been for eight Democrats in the Senate,
just eight to say, you know what, we're gonna pay
what we have obligated ourselves to pay. We're going to
pay the bills, and we will finish the budget negotiations
by November seventh.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
In good faith.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
The Republicans didn't add anything into this. Mike Johnsons been
saying a couple times today, there's nothing he's put into
this continuing resolution that was like some sweetheart deal for
Republicans or for red states. It was just continuing the
spending that's been going on all year long. This is
the same level of spending that Democrats approved earlier this year.
(18:49):
Nothing different.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
But you know, I don't understand it just seems like
the Democrat Party every chance they get to inflict pain
on the American people.
Speaker 5 (18:59):
Yeah, I mean it.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
We want to bring in as many illegal aliens as
we can. Well, that's hurting people in New York City.
We're having to kick veterans out of hotels in New
York City.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Well, so be it. We're going to bring in the
illegal aliens.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
No. But if you look at when Obama, when the
government shut down during Obama's administrations, during Biden's administration, they
closed the national parks, they shut down monuments, open.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Air monument, they shut down the World War II Monument
on the Mall in washingt d C. By setting up
barricades around it. That that actually took money. It took
more money to shut it down than just to leave
it open.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
And what they're really doing is they're picking the most
visible symbolic things.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
Yeah, not the most necessary.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
No, Barack Obama was intentionally trying to cause pain on
the American people for political purposes. That's exactly what he
intended to do, and there were documents showing that that
was the purpose.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
But you know, that really is consistent though with Democrats,
because with their worldview, because they are a to the
narrative that government is life itself.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
So they cannot allow us to.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
Realize how little government matters. Not I'm not talking about
our military. I'm not talking about the minimum serving day
in and day out.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
A lesser opts, the less interaction we have with the
government day in and day out, the better off our
lives are. I mean, that's just the truth. The more
we are interacting with the government, state, federal, whatever, on
a daily basis, the more problems we have one way
or the other.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Well, and I think when you're in a shutdown like this,
what it shows is that the government is too big,
too bloated, too wrapped up in things it doesn't need
to be doing in the first place, and that.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
The Democrat Party is too focused on its governmental power
than it is on the people it's supposed to be serving.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
And look at a state like Louisiana, look at any
of our states. They're running their own programs today without
federal funding, schools, medic Now. I know eventually that money
is gonna flow back, but nevertheless, National Guard readiness, right,
I mean, life continues without Washington's micro management.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
And I think that's why Democrats hate the fact.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
That we're realizing that each and every time the government
is shut down.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
What I don't know is that the Democrats understand how
much credibility they're losing by trying to blame this on
the Republicans.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
This is clearly the.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Plan of the Democrats in the Senate. This is clearly
Chuck Schumer's idea personally, if you just put your finger
on one person who caused the shutdown, Chuck Schumer individually,
the Democrats in the Senate collectively, you can't really blame
Cleo Fields too much. I mean, he voted against it
in the House, but his vote didn't really matter because
the Republicans had the vote, and the Senate it does
(21:56):
matter because you have to get to a sixty vote threshold.
The Democrats did this. The Democrats cause it. And the
more they try and say that this is somehow Donald
Trump's fault, that Donald Trump didn't have a single vote
in the Senate.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
And you know seeing in shut down or turned off
coverage of Speaker Mike Johnson.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Yeah, so when he was giving a press conference with
regards to how the Democrats caused this matter.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
He was he was saying some inconvenient truths.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
We'll be back.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
You are listening to American ground radio. The Party bad
eyes is faster than you can say trenda trenday something.
It's really trendy, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
How do you say that?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Oh, forget MS thirteen, you know the bad guys.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Welcome back to American ground radio, Stephen par with the
US eblone.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
So would you pay two dollars or two percent uh
huh for every one hundred dollars of your water bill
so that your local community could fight blight, could tear
down abandon apartment complexes, abandoned dwellings where you know you
(23:22):
have folks in these abandoned dwellings, you know, cooking meth
in the kitchen, warming themselves up during the wintertime, catching
those dwellings on fire, threatening other neighborhoods. Would it be
worth it to you to spend two percent of your
water bill to eradicate blight in your community?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Well, I know where you're going with this, And in general,
I'm not in favor of raising taxes and fees on
people because of government spending. This is I think one
of the essential functions of government. Only government can fight blight.
There for, government should fight blight, and that does cost money.
Speaker 6 (24:05):
I get all that.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
I also think that taxes are too high. So I
hold both of those thoughts in my head at the
same time that it's a tough and we just raised
and we just raised water bills in the city of
Report what two years ago, not that long ago. So
to add another two percent on top of the bill
for folks, that's going to be difficult for some families
(24:30):
in parts of Report. But at the same time, the
problem of blight is a real legitimate problem. So this
is the challenge of government. I think government needs to
be trying to make sure we're not spending a whole
bunch of money, certainly not spending money we should be spending.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
And then if.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
You have to raise taxes to do essential functions, I
get that. But before we start raising taxes, my question
is is there any money in the Streetport budget that's
going to things the city shouldn't be spending money.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Well, that's I think that that's a very important discussion
as well. But of course, many municipalities Shreveport, the City
of Shreetport included their sales tax revenue. Their sales tax
projections were overestimated, they're lower the actual standing.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
All year long, we've been hearing how receipts for Streeport
actually were coming in above projection.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
And that is certainly not the case now.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And so there are a lot of municipalities, though, that
find themselves in that same situation. And the other part
of this is, and this is according to a study
from the National Association of Realtors, and they say that
a single abandoned building on a street can drag down
the value of neighboring homes about ten to twenty percent,
(25:56):
in part.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Because it becomes a haven for crime. And as we've
talked about crime sobriety.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
So if you're talking, you multiply that across entire neighborhoods,
and what you're talking about is millions of dollars in
lost wealth for ordinary Americans whose greatest investment is in
their home. So that is that's a hidden tax, it is,
and it's a lot more than two percent on your
water bill. Now, is your local government spending their your tax.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Dollars as wisely as they could as.
Speaker 6 (26:29):
How much money?
Speaker 3 (26:30):
How much money is the City of Streeport giving to
non governmental organizations because of it? If a non governmental
organization can do something, they should do it. The city
should be paying for it. And when, as we learn
through doge. When you give money to a non governmental organization,
as a government, you lose all control over how that
money spent, and it's usually not spent well.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
So, folks, what we're talking about is in Shreeport. The
mayor of Shreeport, Tom Arseneau, has proposed a two percent
tax or fee on all water bills in order to
eradicate blight out of the communities where it has persisted
for so many years. Now, what's interesting here is that
it is an eighteen month It is a limited fee
(27:14):
of eighteen months.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That I like. That's more in line with what Lafayette
did with their one cent on one year tax that
helped the airport.
Speaker 6 (27:21):
That's at least a conservative principle.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Let's get to a digging deep.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Going down.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
So Mary LaToya Cantrell submitted her last budget proposal to
the New Orleans City Council this week. It includes increases
on taxes and on fees, of course, but it does
not include any budget cuts. Cities looking at it estimated
one hundred million dollar budget shortfall next year. The city
is mostly blaming a drop in revenue for that shortfall.
(27:52):
Mark Cantrell said, quote, we need revenue that is big.
We need revenue that is going to truly meet us
where we are in this moment. The nickel and diming
will not work.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
Maybe she needs to go buy a lottery ticket.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Maybe she stop flying to other places all over the planet,
because that's a lot of money that. You know, how
many she's spent.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
She has spent literally millions of dollars flying across all.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
I don't know about millions of dollars at least at
least a million in her time. I'm sure it's a
lot of wasted dollars, a lot of wasted doll flying
to She flew to Cuba to study economic development.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
With her entourage.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
First class. Yeah, first class, of course you gotta. But look,
I mean, does this surprise you. Democrats have never met
a tax they didn't like. I mean, it's in their DNA.
They wake up in the morning thinking about new ways
to tax you.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Revenue.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Revenue for a government comes as taxation or as fees.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
She wants both.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
She wants a new half sent sales tax on restaurants, bars,
hotels and motels, short term rentals, online retail sales. Now,
this seems short sighted to me. I know, there's a
lot of popularity in the state of Louisiana to say
we're going to raise taxes on tourists. New Orleans gets
a lot of its money from tourism, so Cantrell's tried
(29:08):
to take more money from the tourists. But if we
continue to get the reputation of being too expensive as
a state for tourists, the tourists will stop coming. And
by the way, I had a discussion with some people
that came to visit Louisiana this last week and one
of the things they complained about was the amount of
taxation on their hotel bill. And so people are starting
(29:30):
to pay attention to this. I think we've reached peak
taxation and when it comes to hotel bills, in order
for us to be getting our return on the bunt,
New Orleans is saying we have a loss of revenue.
Speaker 6 (29:40):
We didn't get as much revenue as we expected. Maybe
it's because your.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Hotel taxes is too No, no, it is absolutely true.
And the state, the Louisiana State legislature has worked very
hard to prevent I mean they actively have worked to
prevent the city of New Orleans from raising its hotel
motel taxes to be the highest in the country, like
New York City. New York City has the highest hotel
(30:06):
moteil taxes in the country. It's massive and it has
been studied time and time again. There are a lot
of folks, there are a lot of events and you know,
seminars and con conferences that will not go.
Speaker 6 (30:19):
Because taxes are too high.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
She also wants to increase fees for safety and permits
for alcohol, licenses, for parking, and for sanitation. So we're
going to make it harder to start and operate businesses.
Speaker 6 (30:30):
In New Orleans.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
That doesn't sound like a good idea. It's a great
way to make sure businesses continue to move out of
the city, not into it.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
Okay, but you understand, or I know you do. I
know our listeners do. Democrats don't understand free market capitalism.
They do not understand. They don't understand the low well
is created right now. WWL in New Orleans had an
interesting quote from the budget meeting, the Joe threat. The
(30:58):
Chief Administrative officer highlighted the issue at Wednesday's meeting. Quote,
I think the economic impact of Super Bowl was about
one point three to five billion dollars. So for us
to get revenues to date of eight million is not
a return on investment for US, threat saying the city
of New Orleans only made eight million dollars from the
(31:18):
Super Bowl and they've got a budget problem. How about
that all the government money thrown into the NFL to
host the Super Bowl hasn't resulted in a return on
investment in that city in Orleans.
Speaker 5 (31:29):
But that I think that is a matter of opinion.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
That's what That's what the chief administrative officer for the
City of New Orleans said. They only got eight million
dollars back. They did not make as much money off
the Super Bowl as they paid into it.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
That's what the chief administrative officer a saying.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
When you don't have money, you need to cut spending.
It's a pretty fundamental economic rule. And unfortunately, I don't
think the Democrat leaders of New Orleans.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
Have understood that we'll be back.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
You're listening to American ground.
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Speaker 3 (33:11):
Welcome back to American Ground Radio Stephen Barr.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
With Lewis sar Avalony and see talking about LaToya Cantrail
back in New Orleans. You see Liberals see government as
the center of the universe. Conservatives see people as the
center of the universe. So when she talks about raising
the hotel tax, right right, I mean that's that debate
(33:33):
is a perfect example. Liberals think the city's image or
the government's budget comes first. Conservatives know that the private sector,
the hotels, the restaurants, the shops, those are the ones
that come first, because without them, there is no image.
There is no budget, there is no tax base whatsoever.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Without the people, there is no need for a government.
The governments are instituted among men in to secure the
rights of the people. That's why we make government. We
don't make government so that we can have people. That's
that's not Look, we just create a government. Now we
get to have a city. No, that's not it. You
get people that gather in an area and they say,
(34:15):
we need some order, we need some protection, we need
some some rights protected, and so we're going to create
a government. Great example of this is Saint George. They've
just done this. They were living outside the protection of
the government of the city of Baton Rouge, and they went,
you know what, we're living here. We want protection from
some of our rights, including the right to pursue our happiness.
(34:37):
So we're going to create and form our own government.
It's the people who make the government, not the other
way around exactly.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
But again, liberals, they think prosperity comes from the government,
the government skimming off the top of all off the
backs of the hard working people.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Well, think about this in the languages being used in
the mayor's race in New Orleans.
Speaker 6 (34:58):
Right now, we're going to.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Create new housing. No, the government doesn't create new housing.
Private sector creates, especially affordable housing. Government doesn't createfordable housing.
The private sector does. Governor says we're gonna create jobs.
Government doesn't create jobs. The people create jobs. Now, the
government can either make it easier for people to create jobs,
or they can make it harder for creating people to
create jobs. But the government does not create actual work.
(35:23):
They don't create actual GDP, they don't create actual value.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
And by the way, on that subject of hotel taxes, taxes,
for example, they keep their hotel taxes relatively competitive. And
guess what cities like Dallas and Houston they rake in
hundreds thousands of conventions.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
Year after year.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Florida has kept their taxes, their hotel motel taxes in
Czech Orlando. Orlando is the convention center, convention capital of
the world.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Get all those theme parks in Orlando. You'd think they'd
be throwing those hotel taxes through the roof. No, that
would kill those theme parks.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
So, but then you've got these Democrat led cities like
Chicago and New York and San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
San Francisco's lost almost all of its revenue from from
conferences because they left. Tell you what, let's play a game.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Black battleship, shall we say? So.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
We were just talking about the Saints signing a new
deal with the state so that they're going to be
in the super Dome through twenty thirty five. Question today
is what are the oldest stadiums still active in the NFL?
The oldest stadium, oldest stadiums?
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Oh man, I'm gonna really show my my age.
Speaker 5 (36:41):
Okay, all right, I mean I know, I know it's closed. Yeah,
I know. It's Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
Speaker 6 (36:51):
No, that was that was an old woman.
Speaker 5 (36:52):
No, that's that's an oldie, but of goodies.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Kay, yeah, that's not that's not in the NFL current.
Speaker 5 (36:56):
Okay, what are the oldest the oldest stadium? Oh? Oh,
Soldier Field in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Soldier Field the oldest in Chicago.
Speaker 6 (37:05):
It is the oldest, the oldest.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Nineteen twenty four. That is the oldest stadium. However, the
Bears just announced this season that they are moving to
the suburbs. They are abandoning Soldier Field, So in the
next couple of years, Soldier Field will no longer be
in the NFL. So it's been in the NFL since
nineteen twenty four.
Speaker 5 (37:21):
All right, how about the Superdome for the New Orleans Saints.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
SUPERDOMERCEDI has been Superdome nineteen seventy five, Number five on
the list. It's the fifth oldest stadium in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (37:30):
Ah, goodness, gracious. You know they keep changing the names
of all these stadiums. Okay, because of the sponsorship.
Speaker 6 (37:37):
Right right, But I'll take I'll take the team.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
You'll take the team, the team, okay. The Pittsburgh Steelers,
the Pittsburgh Steelers. No, No, they built new stadium, new one.
Let's see here.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
Oh, the Packers, the Green Bay pack.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Green Bay Packers number two, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin,
built in nineteen fifty seven.
Speaker 5 (37:59):
Nineteen tiety seven. I am scratching my head here.
Speaker 4 (38:03):
Oh, Kansas City number three, Arrowhead Stadium nineteen seventy two,
Kansas City Chiefs old top three oldest stadiums. Oldest is
the Astrodome? Does that count? I'm just kidding.
Speaker 5 (38:20):
I'm kidding. I know that's been gone a very long time,
you know what. I'm out? Yeah, I am completely out.
All right.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
So the oldest stadium was Soldier Field for the Chicago
Bears in Chicago, Illinois Stuff Bears Lambeufield, So Lambo's about
to be the oldest because the Soldier Field to be
going away. That's the Packers in Green Bay built in
nineteen fifty seven. Arrowhead Stadium nineteen seventy two for the
Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
New Era Field.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
That was not the name of it before, but it's
nineteen seventy three for the Buffalo Bills. I don't even
remember what the Buffalo Bill Stadium was. It's just it
was always covered in snow, right, remember that?
Speaker 2 (38:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (38:55):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (38:56):
Okay, So that was built nineteen seventy three. Then the
super Dome nineteen seventy five. Then you have to jump
twelve years to hard Rock Stadium nineteen eighty seven for
the Miami.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Dolphins Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
Then you get the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Jump another eight years to nineteen ninety five ever Bank Field,
Jacksonville Jaguars. Then you have Bank of An America Stadium
number eight on this list for the Carolina Panthers, built
in nineteen.
Speaker 5 (39:18):
Ninety six, FedEx Field built.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
In nineteen ninety seven for the Washington Redskins, and M
and T Bank stadium in nineteen ninety eight for the
Baltimore Ravens. There is a huge jump. Basically there's one
stadium between when New Orleans was built and then in
the nineteen nineties.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
Well, you know what, as I'm looking at this list,
one thing I know for sure money does not buy
success because look at the Kansas City Chiefs right.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Older Bowl champs and very old stadium. They're very success packers.
They've been very successful in the NFL.
Speaker 6 (39:50):
A lot of old stadiums.
Speaker 3 (39:52):
We'll be at back of more American Great Radio Instagram.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
You're listening to American Ground Radio.
Speaker 6 (40:14):
Welcome back to American Ground Radium.
Speaker 5 (40:15):
Stephen Power of lewisar Avaloney Well and blight.
Speaker 4 (40:19):
Also, I won't say it creates crime, but it certainly
makes crime more susceptible in those areas.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
It can provide a safe haven for crime to flourish. Again,
We've had a lot of buildings that have burned down. Well,
that's a form of arson, that's the type of crime.
You've had drug deals that have gone on in these
empty properties, that's a crime. So yes, the blight can
lead to crime. Blight can lead to the destruction of neighborhoods.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
And there was a study from the University of Pennsylvania
that found when abandoned buildings were demolished, gun assaults dropped.
Gun violence dropped by nearly forty percent in those those neighborhoods.
Forty percent. That's fewer kids that are shot, that's fewer
break ins, that's fewer grieving families. Because every as you
(41:10):
pointed out, every derelict or you know, abandoned property is
a magnet for drug dealers and squatters and gain activity.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
And I do like that Mayor Arsenal is. Look, I
don't like that he's proposing a two percent tax on
your water bill.
Speaker 5 (41:25):
I do like a lot of folks on fixed income.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Well, whether you're on fixed income or not, I don't
want to pay more. I don't want to pay more
on my water bill.
Speaker 6 (41:32):
I just don't.
Speaker 5 (41:33):
But yeah, but what is the cost to your property
value if you're a homeowner.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Well, my property value I don't have blighted. It's I mean,
no it it look I know what effects. I don't
care what fancy neighborhood you live. But my point affects everyone.
But my point is I am not convinced that our
city is spending all of the money in the best
possible way. If we're spending money on things that government
shouldn't be spending money on that, don't tax me on
(41:58):
money that I need. I need proof from our city
that we're not giving.
Speaker 5 (42:02):
Money to NGOs.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
I agree that should be getting city money before you
start asking for money for me on top of my
water bill.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
But all I'm trying to say here, yes, we're not
in favor of more taxes or higher fees. But you
know it's that old mantra that nothing ever changes around here, Well,
it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. You can't attract new
businesses to an area that is surrounded by collapsing houses
and abandoned commercial buildings.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
I agree fighting blight is very important. I'm just not
convinced our city spending the money.
Speaker 5 (42:36):
Yet in the right way, and we need to do
that before we start asking for taxes.
Speaker 6 (42:41):
We'll be Backstackground.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
The second hour of American Ground Radio is coming up
next
It's able available now with no what official flavors sweeters are,
but trulium base died. It's all natural and it's harvested
on American ground fields.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
It's able.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
You are making Americas smart again.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Baby.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
We choose to go to the moon and do the
other thing, not because they are easy, but because they
are odd. It is time for us to realize that
we're too great a nation to limit ourselves to small dreams.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I have a dream, but one day this nation will
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Speaker 1 (00:43):
American Ground Radio with Lewis r Avaloni and Stephen Protru.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
This is American Ground Radio Stephen Parr with Lewis sar Avlonas.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
So, the New Orleans Saints have signed a new lease
with the State of Louisiana that will keep the Saints
in the Superdome in Louisiana for at least a decade.
And you know, that's a really big deal. And the
question is, you know, of course, lots of folks say,
should the State of Louisiana be in partnership essentially with
(01:25):
the New Orleans Saints because they own the State of
Louisiana owns the Superdomes. Yes, and of course the Saints
are its major number one tenant obviously.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Well and at the same time, the Benson family owns
a building right next to the Superdome, and the state
is their number one tenant in that building.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Well, and there are folks that say, Benson Tower, I
think that's the building that you're referring to, is costing
the State of Louisiana ten million dollars per year.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Now this deal does drop that rents a little bit,
but it's still a pretty hefty chunk of change that
the state's paying for some office buildings that it may
or may not need.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
But look, so this current Leasse agreement is going to
run through twenty thirty five, and then under the new
deal that will be extended another.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
Five years, could be.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
It's got an option of four or five year extensions,
so that takes us well into the future. And Gail Benson,
the owner of the Saints, I think she put it well.
She said, this extension represents a continued and valued partnership
between the New Orleans Saints and the State of Louisiana.
The demonstrates are intent to be here and fully committed
(02:42):
for many decades.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
Because when her husband was alive.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
There was some thought that he was going to move
the team to I believe it was San Antonio.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
Well, there are.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Lots of NFL teams that have moved over time. I mean,
the Kansas City Chiefs used to be in Dallas. The
Los Angeles Rams used to be in Los Angeles, and
then they were in they were in Saint Louis and
now they're back into Los Angeles. The Chargers, the LA
Chargers used to be in San Diego. The Raiders have
(03:16):
been freaking everywhere. So yeah, I mean moving around is
something that a lot of teams have done in the NFL.
The Tennessee Titans used to be the Houston Oilers.
Speaker 6 (03:26):
It's common in the league.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
So the Superdome, of course, is least to the Saints.
That's what this deal between all the fanfare today between
Covenor Landry and Missus Benson was all about. Right, But
here's the thing, and the terms of the agreement have
not been disclosed, but you know since twenty nineteen, yeah,
(03:48):
almost five hundred million dollars has been poured into upgrades
at the super Dome.
Speaker 6 (03:57):
Yeah, it's a lot of money.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
That is now. I know, a lot of that is
funded with concessions and with other venues other events that
are held at that venue.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Right, because the Superdome doesn't just hold NFL games for
the Saints. I mean one of the biggest things that
has happened at the Superdome recently was the Taylor Swift Series.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
That was huge.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
It was huge, a lot of.
Speaker 6 (04:20):
People coming in. That made some money for the stadium.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
So, yes, the the stadium does have other events that
go in, but it is probably best known for the
being the home of the Saints and being well the
Sugar Dome and host to the Sugar Bowl, the Sugar
Bowl and the host to numerous Super Bowls.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Absolutely, but here's the million dollars. No, this is going
to be a billion dollar question.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Should state governments be in the business of spending taxpayer
dollars to support billion dollars sports franchises?
Speaker 6 (04:53):
No?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
I mean, let me ask you something. Should the Saints.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Should Gale Benson do what Jerry Jones did in Arlington
and build her own stadium.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Well, she could do that, but Arlington also at her expense.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
But Arlington pooned up a whole bunch of money for
Jerry World. I mean, that wasn't all built with Jerry's money.
Jerry put a lot of money into it, and Jerry
owns the building.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
And Arlington, New Orleans is not the same lucrative market
that Dallas Dallas Worthworth area.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Dallas fort Worth is absolutely huge, and Arlington's right in
the middle of Dallas fort Worth. And Arlington's strategic plan
in the Metroplex is to be the home of the
Texas Rangers of six Flags over Texas, of the Dallas Cowboys.
Arlington wants to be that entertainment destination within the Metroplex.
Speaker 5 (05:47):
I mean it is.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Smart business, I believe for the Bensons sure to be
in New Orleans because look the Superdome. It's right there
in the middle of the CBD. It's not like sitting
out in some suburban stadium, right. And at the same time,
there's no dead I mean you look at cities like
(06:09):
Cincinnati or Glendale, Arizona. I mean they are out in
Los Angeles, right, I mean, both for the Chargers and
for the Rams. You're talking about billion dollar structures.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Yes, and the Saints structure has been there since the
nineteen seventies. Yes, we've done some upgrades. Frankly, I was
thinking about this earlier. I think the State of Louisiana
has done a better job of maintaining and upgrading the
Superdome than any other building in the state of Louisiana.
We don't generally do a great job of maintenance in
this state.
Speaker 6 (06:42):
We've got so many things.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
You know, Shreveport lost the Fairgrounds feel because they didn't
do any maintenance on it for years. So that's that's
something that Look, it's good if you're going to invest
in something, you need to maintain it and update it
in the state has done that.
Speaker 6 (06:56):
With the super Dome.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
But yes, it does come at a massive cost, and
there is a legit question of is that a good
use of taxpayer money?
Speaker 5 (07:03):
I think so.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I think keeping the Saints in New Orleans isn't negotiable.
I think losing them would be negotia.
Speaker 5 (07:10):
Everything's negotiable.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Okay, I'm not literally, Yes, it's negotiable. What I'm trying
to say here is is that I think losing them
would be a psychological blow to the city. I think
it would send a message that Louisiana couldn't hold on
to its most visible franchise or assets symbol symbols. Yes,
(07:34):
I agree, I think the New.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Orleans Saints is probably the biggest symbol of Louisiana, even
more so than Marti Gras itself. I think that's I
think that's fair to say. But by the same token,
it is not a wise use of taxpayer dollars just
so that people feel good.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
That's not the role of government.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Government's job is to secure our rights to life, to liberty,
and to the pursuit of happiness. It does not to
guarantee us mental health.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
No.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
But look, and I know I said that the state
invested a half billion dollars in the Superdome. I mean
they owned the state of Louisiana. You are listeners, Louisiana's
you own the Superdome.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
But here's the deal.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
If we didn't do that, don't kid yourself, there would
be cities all across this country that would be salivating.
I think San Antonio there are. It has been rumored many,
many times.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
San Antonios wanted a professional football team since the USFL
when Donald Trump owned a part of that league.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
I guess what I'm saying here is losing the Saints
is not far fetched. No, and I think Louisiana leaders
like Governor Landry understand that, and that's why he cemented
this deal today with Gail Benson to keep the Saints
in New Orleans at least for another decade.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
I think it's good that the Saints are still in
New Orleans. They need to start winning.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
That would be I don't think it's a smart use
of tax dollars, and it's certainly not the reason. No,
it's not a good use taxpayer of dollars, and it's
certainly not the reason why governments are instituted among men.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
This is not the.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Purpose of disagree with you on that, Well, then.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
You're disagreeing with the decoration of independence. Let's get to
the top three things you need to know before tomorrow.
First thing you need no before tomorrow. Congressman Cleil Fields
is being accused of committing insider trading. The new congressman
from the highly gerrymandered second Congressional District apparently bought up
(09:31):
to two hundred thousand dollars worth of Oracle stock on
September seventeenth, eighteenth and twenty third. This all came just
before an announcement from President Trump that Oracle would be
the new majority owner of the popular social media site
TikTok news of that broke on the twenty second of September.
Oracle stock prices are up three percent from the time
Fields purchased his stock. It's not known if Fields had
(09:51):
direct knowledge of the pending TikTok deal when he made
his stock purchases, or if he was just incredibly lucky.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Okay, who is investigating this right now?
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Well?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
This is These are reports coming out online from watchdog groups.
I don't know if anybody is officially investigating this from
the government, But doesn't that look suspicious?
Speaker 4 (10:09):
It sounds like he's attended the Pelosi School of successful investing.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, but it's if that's true, it's borderline criminal behavior.
If not, actually second thing you needble from all. Governor
Jeff Landry and Gail Benson. As we're talking about the
new the owner of the New Orleans Saints, announced a
deal to keep the Saints playing in the New Orleans
Superdome through twenty thirty five. The team's current contract was
set to expire in twenty thirty, but the Governor's office
decided to negotiate a new deal five years early. Governor
(10:37):
Landry said, today is a great deal, not just for
New Orleans, but for our entire state. With this agreement,
we are paving the way for more Saints victories, more
Super Bowl memories, and more economic growth for Louisiana. Gail
Benson said, the Caesars Superdome stands as a model for
sport and stadium leaders on best practices for cutting edge renovations.
We are proud of our committed partnership.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Look, you know, the State of Louisiana. I think they're
being prudent here. I mean because it's not like they're
going out and selling bonds for a billion dollar new arena.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
I think that they're making the best use of what
they have.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
We already have the asset. I get that, I understand that.
And yes, signing a long term deal is a lot
better than building a new stadium.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
I'll give you that. And the third thing you do,
you do before tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
The University of Louisiana Lafayete announced layoffs and department closures today.
Interim President Jamie Abert announced the schools looking at a
twenty five million dollars shortfall. As a result, six employees
were laid off in the school closed the Office of
Sustainability and Community Engagement. Aber also announced a restructuring in
the Office of Communications and Marketing and the Office of
Auxiliary Services. He sent a letter to employees saying, we
(11:37):
are confronting a structural deficit and while we have identified
significant reductions, further action is required to restore fiscal stability.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Well, at least they're addressing their financial situation, unlike the
University of New Orleans that just buries their head in
the sand.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
And aber assist. He hopes to have this SULFI next May.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
We'll bear back.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
You're listening to American Ground Radio.
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Speaker 3 (13:12):
Welcome back to American Ground Radio, Stephen Part with Lewis
sar Evaloney.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Well, my friends, you know, every single time there is
a government shutdown, the left trots out the same old
tired playbook.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Panic and doom, chaos.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
But wait, they're the ones who caused this shutdown.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Why are they screaming panic and do That's what I
don't understand this one quite.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Because of the Republicans.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
The Republicans are the ones that are causing the shut
down in the first place.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
Real quick, just so sure I understand.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
I need to take notes.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
How many Republicans voted against the spinding bill.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
That would be hold on? Let me check, Oh, that's zero?
Is one voted? Rand Paul voted against the spending bill? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
How many Democrats voted for it?
Speaker 5 (13:59):
All of them?
Speaker 7 (14:00):
Him?
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Uh? For the s the spinning? Are you talking about
the continuing resolution? Yeah, the continued reslution clean? Yeah? How many?
Speaker 6 (14:08):
How many Democrats voted for that?
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Oh? Zero?
Speaker 6 (14:10):
Total of three?
Speaker 5 (14:12):
You had three one in the House, one in the House,
two in the cent two in the Senate.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Okay, So if you have all but one Republican voting
to keep the government open by passing the continued resolutions
to make and you only have three Democrats who voted
in the House and Senate combined, who voted to keep
the government open, who shut down the government?
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Well, of course it was the Democrat.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
See, this is the logic that just doesn't make any
sense at all that the Democrats are blaming the Republicans
because the Democrats voted to shut down the government. That
that is a level of gas lighting that takes. I mean,
the hoodspot on that.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
But you know what the other part of this is
in these shutdowns, while it is not ideal by any means,
it does remind us just how much government is non essential.
I mean, that is the dirty little secret that no
one in the swamp wants to admit. And if you
look at let's just look in Louisiana. What is still
(15:12):
running in Louisiana even though the government is the federal
government is technically shut down. Right, Veteran affairs, medical facilities,
they are still open. Right, Our veterans are still going
to get the care that they need. That's essential. That's continuing.
The VA benefit offices they're closed. But here's the truth, folks.
(15:34):
A lot of people will tell you that they're so
mired in bureaucracy that they can hardly get through, you know,
get through a good day when they're open.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Okay, Okay, So they're being close. You're saying, isn't it
isn't a huge law. It's not a huge service of
them being open.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
But the VA medical facilities, those are still open. Commercial
flights those are still working. Planes are not grounded. Air
traffic controllers and TSA employees are working without pay.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Look, I know Al Gore invented the internet. Is the
Internet still working?
Speaker 7 (16:05):
Internet?
Speaker 5 (16:05):
The Internet is still running?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Ye right?
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Okay, So phone lines full lines are fuone.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
Linch signs are still running.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Louisiana schools have enough federal funding to last the entire
school year.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Okay, so the schools are still Schools are still open.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
The Louisiana National Guard, the monthly drills are postponed, but
they still stand ready to respond to hurricanes or floods
or any state emergency.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
Uh, the Guard remains ready.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
The only you know the only thing that is not happening,
UH is Governor Landry's request to activate a thousand troops
for crime patrols in New Orleans and bat Rouge and
street boards.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
That's put on hold.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
That's that's on hold.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
National parks.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
National parks are are closed for all intents and purposes,
even though the there are some open air exhibits or
open air monuments.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
You can go to the World War Two Monument, you
can go the Lincoln Memorial, you can go to Washington.
You can't go up the Washington Monument, but you can
see the Washington Monument.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Medicaid and SNAP benefits, those are still being administered. They're
state managed, they're following federal rules. They continue. Nobody is
cut off, right, so the essential functions of government keep
right on humming.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
The trash is still picked up.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Grocery stores are open, gas stations are pumping, hospitals are running,
police are on the street.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
The army is still standing watched right now.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
They're not getting paid yet when payday comes around, that's
they're gonna skip that in those I understand.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
But it's not arban gedden right, That's what I'm trying
to say. It's not the apocalypse.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Yeah, and and it's unnecessary because the Democrats were given
the opportunity to keep the government open time and time
and time again. They had multiple votes on the floor
in the Senate this week, and every single time the
Democrats voted against keeping the government open. And then they're
(18:04):
trying to point at the Republicans, Well, the Republicans are
the ones who shut down the government. All it would
have taken would have been for eight Democrats in the Senate,
just eight to say, you know what, we're gonna pay
what we have obligated ourselves to pay. We're going to
pay the bills, and we will finish the budget negotiations
by November seventh.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
In good faith.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
The Republicans didn't add anything into this. Mike Johnsons been
saying a couple times today, there's nothing he's put into
this continuing resolution that was like some sweetheart deal for
Republicans or for red states. It was just continuing the
spending that's been going on all year long. This is
the same level of spending that Democrats approved earlier this year.
(18:49):
Nothing different.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
But you know, I don't understand it just seems like
the Democrat Party every chance they get to inflict pain
on the American people.
Speaker 5 (18:59):
Yeah, I mean it.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
We want to bring in as many illegal aliens as
we can. Well, that's hurting people in New York City.
We're having to kick veterans out of hotels in New
York City.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Well, so be it. We're going to bring in the
illegal aliens.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
No. But if you look at when Obama, when the
government shut down during Obama's administrations, during Biden's administration, they
closed the national parks, they shut down monuments, open.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Air monument, they shut down the World War II Monument
on the Mall in washingt d C. By setting up
barricades around it. That that actually took money. It took
more money to shut it down than just to leave
it open.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
And what they're really doing is they're picking the most
visible symbolic things.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
Yeah, not the most necessary.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
No, Barack Obama was intentionally trying to cause pain on
the American people for political purposes. That's exactly what he
intended to do, and there were documents showing that that
was the purpose.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
But you know, that really is consistent though with Democrats,
because with their worldview, because they are a to the
narrative that government is life itself.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
So they cannot allow us to.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
Realize how little government matters. Not I'm not talking about
our military. I'm not talking about the minimum serving day
in and day out.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
A lesser opts, the less interaction we have with the
government day in and day out, the better off our
lives are. I mean, that's just the truth. The more
we are interacting with the government, state, federal, whatever, on
a daily basis, the more problems we have one way
or the other.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Well, and I think when you're in a shutdown like this,
what it shows is that the government is too big,
too bloated, too wrapped up in things it doesn't need
to be doing in the first place, and that.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
The Democrat Party is too focused on its governmental power
than it is on the people it's supposed to be serving.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
And look at a state like Louisiana, look at any
of our states. They're running their own programs today without
federal funding, schools, medic Now. I know eventually that money
is gonna flow back, but nevertheless, National Guard readiness, right,
I mean, life continues without Washington's micro management.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
And I think that's why Democrats hate the fact.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
That we're realizing that each and every time the government
is shut down.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
What I don't know is that the Democrats understand how
much credibility they're losing by trying to blame this on
the Republicans.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
This is clearly the.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Plan of the Democrats in the Senate. This is clearly
Chuck Schumer's idea personally, if you just put your finger
on one person who caused the shutdown, Chuck Schumer individually,
the Democrats in the Senate collectively, you can't really blame
Cleo Fields too much. I mean, he voted against it
in the House, but his vote didn't really matter because
the Republicans had the vote, and the Senate it does
(21:56):
matter because you have to get to a sixty vote threshold.
The Democrats did this. The Democrats cause it. And the
more they try and say that this is somehow Donald
Trump's fault, that Donald Trump didn't have a single vote
in the Senate.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
And you know seeing in shut down or turned off
coverage of Speaker Mike Johnson.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Yeah, so when he was giving a press conference with
regards to how the Democrats caused this matter.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
He was he was saying some inconvenient truths.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
We'll be back.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
You are listening to American ground radio. The Party bad
eyes is faster than you can say trenda trenday something.
It's really trendy, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
How do you say that?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Oh, forget MS thirteen, you know the bad guys.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Welcome back to American ground radio, Stephen par with the
US eblone.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
So would you pay two dollars or two percent uh
huh for every one hundred dollars of your water bill
so that your local community could fight blight, could tear
down abandon apartment complexes, abandoned dwellings where you know you
(23:22):
have folks in these abandoned dwellings, you know, cooking meth
in the kitchen, warming themselves up during the wintertime, catching
those dwellings on fire, threatening other neighborhoods. Would it be
worth it to you to spend two percent of your
water bill to eradicate blight in your community?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Well, I know where you're going with this, And in general,
I'm not in favor of raising taxes and fees on
people because of government spending. This is I think one
of the essential functions of government. Only government can fight blight.
There for, government should fight blight, and that does cost money.
Speaker 6 (24:05):
I get all that.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
I also think that taxes are too high. So I
hold both of those thoughts in my head at the
same time that it's a tough and we just raised
and we just raised water bills in the city of
Report what two years ago, not that long ago. So
to add another two percent on top of the bill
for folks, that's going to be difficult for some families
(24:30):
in parts of Report. But at the same time, the
problem of blight is a real legitimate problem. So this
is the challenge of government. I think government needs to
be trying to make sure we're not spending a whole
bunch of money, certainly not spending money we should be spending.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
And then if.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
You have to raise taxes to do essential functions, I
get that. But before we start raising taxes, my question
is is there any money in the Streetport budget that's
going to things the city shouldn't be spending money.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Well, that's I think that that's a very important discussion
as well. But of course, many municipalities Shreveport, the City
of Shreetport included their sales tax revenue. Their sales tax
projections were overestimated, they're lower the actual standing.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
All year long, we've been hearing how receipts for Streeport
actually were coming in above projection.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
And that is certainly not the case now.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And so there are a lot of municipalities, though, that
find themselves in that same situation. And the other part
of this is, and this is according to a study
from the National Association of Realtors, and they say that
a single abandoned building on a street can drag down
the value of neighboring homes about ten to twenty percent,
(25:56):
in part.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Because it becomes a haven for crime. And as we've
talked about crime sobriety.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
So if you're talking, you multiply that across entire neighborhoods,
and what you're talking about is millions of dollars in
lost wealth for ordinary Americans whose greatest investment is in
their home. So that is that's a hidden tax, it is,
and it's a lot more than two percent on your
water bill. Now, is your local government spending their your tax.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Dollars as wisely as they could as.
Speaker 6 (26:29):
How much money?
Speaker 3 (26:30):
How much money is the City of Streeport giving to
non governmental organizations because of it? If a non governmental
organization can do something, they should do it. The city
should be paying for it. And when, as we learn
through doge. When you give money to a non governmental organization,
as a government, you lose all control over how that
money spent, and it's usually not spent well.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
So, folks, what we're talking about is in Shreeport. The
mayor of Shreeport, Tom Arseneau, has proposed a two percent
tax or fee on all water bills in order to
eradicate blight out of the communities where it has persisted
for so many years. Now, what's interesting here is that
it is an eighteen month It is a limited fee
(27:14):
of eighteen months.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That I like. That's more in line with what Lafayette
did with their one cent on one year tax that
helped the airport.
Speaker 6 (27:21):
That's at least a conservative principle.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Let's get to a digging deep.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Going down.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
So Mary LaToya Cantrell submitted her last budget proposal to
the New Orleans City Council this week. It includes increases
on taxes and on fees, of course, but it does
not include any budget cuts. Cities looking at it estimated
one hundred million dollar budget shortfall next year. The city
is mostly blaming a drop in revenue for that shortfall.
(27:52):
Mark Cantrell said, quote, we need revenue that is big.
We need revenue that is going to truly meet us
where we are in this moment. The nickel and diming
will not work.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
Maybe she needs to go buy a lottery ticket.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Maybe she stop flying to other places all over the planet,
because that's a lot of money that. You know, how
many she's spent.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
She has spent literally millions of dollars flying across all.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
I don't know about millions of dollars at least at
least a million in her time. I'm sure it's a
lot of wasted dollars, a lot of wasted doll flying
to She flew to Cuba to study economic development.
Speaker 6 (28:29):
With her entourage.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
First class. Yeah, first class, of course you gotta. But look,
I mean, does this surprise you. Democrats have never met
a tax they didn't like. I mean, it's in their DNA.
They wake up in the morning thinking about new ways
to tax you.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Revenue.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Revenue for a government comes as taxation or as fees.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
She wants both.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
She wants a new half sent sales tax on restaurants, bars,
hotels and motels, short term rentals, online retail sales. Now,
this seems short sighted to me. I know, there's a
lot of popularity in the state of Louisiana to say
we're going to raise taxes on tourists. New Orleans gets
a lot of its money from tourism, so Cantrell's tried
(29:08):
to take more money from the tourists. But if we
continue to get the reputation of being too expensive as
a state for tourists, the tourists will stop coming. And
by the way, I had a discussion with some people
that came to visit Louisiana this last week and one
of the things they complained about was the amount of
taxation on their hotel bill. And so people are starting
(29:30):
to pay attention to this. I think we've reached peak
taxation and when it comes to hotel bills, in order
for us to be getting our return on the bunt,
New Orleans is saying we have a loss of revenue.
Speaker 6 (29:40):
We didn't get as much revenue as we expected. Maybe
it's because your.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Hotel taxes is too No, no, it is absolutely true.
And the state, the Louisiana State legislature has worked very
hard to prevent I mean they actively have worked to
prevent the city of New Orleans from raising its hotel
motel taxes to be the highest in the country, like
New York City. New York City has the highest hotel
(30:06):
moteil taxes in the country. It's massive and it has
been studied time and time again. There are a lot
of folks, there are a lot of events and you know,
seminars and con conferences that will not go.
Speaker 6 (30:19):
Because taxes are too high.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
She also wants to increase fees for safety and permits
for alcohol, licenses, for parking, and for sanitation. So we're
going to make it harder to start and operate businesses.
Speaker 6 (30:30):
In New Orleans.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
That doesn't sound like a good idea. It's a great
way to make sure businesses continue to move out of
the city, not into it.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
Okay, but you understand, or I know you do. I
know our listeners do. Democrats don't understand free market capitalism.
They do not understand. They don't understand the low well
is created right now. WWL in New Orleans had an
interesting quote from the budget meeting, the Joe threat. The
(30:58):
Chief Administrative officer highlighted the issue at Wednesday's meeting. Quote,
I think the economic impact of Super Bowl was about
one point three to five billion dollars. So for us
to get revenues to date of eight million is not
a return on investment for US, threat saying the city
of New Orleans only made eight million dollars from the
(31:18):
Super Bowl and they've got a budget problem. How about
that all the government money thrown into the NFL to
host the Super Bowl hasn't resulted in a return on
investment in that city in Orleans.
Speaker 5 (31:29):
But that I think that is a matter of opinion.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
That's what That's what the chief administrative officer for the
City of New Orleans said. They only got eight million
dollars back. They did not make as much money off
the Super Bowl as they paid into it.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
That's what the chief administrative officer a saying.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
When you don't have money, you need to cut spending.
It's a pretty fundamental economic rule. And unfortunately, I don't
think the Democrat leaders of New Orleans.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
Have understood that we'll be back.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
You're listening to American ground.
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Speaker 3 (33:11):
Welcome back to American Ground Radio Stephen Barr.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
With Lewis sar Avalony and see talking about LaToya Cantrail
back in New Orleans. You see Liberals see government as
the center of the universe. Conservatives see people as the
center of the universe. So when she talks about raising
the hotel tax, right right, I mean that's that debate
(33:33):
is a perfect example. Liberals think the city's image or
the government's budget comes first. Conservatives know that the private sector,
the hotels, the restaurants, the shops, those are the ones
that come first, because without them, there is no image.
There is no budget, there is no tax base whatsoever.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Without the people, there is no need for a government.
The governments are instituted among men in to secure the
rights of the people. That's why we make government. We
don't make government so that we can have people. That's
that's not Look, we just create a government. Now we
get to have a city. No, that's not it. You
get people that gather in an area and they say,
(34:15):
we need some order, we need some protection, we need
some some rights protected, and so we're going to create
a government. Great example of this is Saint George. They've
just done this. They were living outside the protection of
the government of the city of Baton Rouge, and they went,
you know what, we're living here. We want protection from
some of our rights, including the right to pursue our happiness.
(34:37):
So we're going to create and form our own government.
It's the people who make the government, not the other
way around exactly.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
But again, liberals, they think prosperity comes from the government,
the government skimming off the top of all off the
backs of the hard working people.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Well, think about this in the languages being used in
the mayor's race in New Orleans.
Speaker 6 (34:58):
Right now, we're going to.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Create new housing. No, the government doesn't create new housing.
Private sector creates, especially affordable housing. Government doesn't createfordable housing.
The private sector does. Governor says we're gonna create jobs.
Government doesn't create jobs. The people create jobs. Now, the
government can either make it easier for people to create jobs,
or they can make it harder for creating people to
create jobs. But the government does not create actual work.
(35:23):
They don't create actual GDP, they don't create actual value.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
And by the way, on that subject of hotel taxes, taxes,
for example, they keep their hotel taxes relatively competitive. And
guess what cities like Dallas and Houston they rake in
hundreds thousands of conventions.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
Year after year.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Florida has kept their taxes, their hotel motel taxes in
Czech Orlando. Orlando is the convention center, convention capital of
the world.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Get all those theme parks in Orlando. You'd think they'd
be throwing those hotel taxes through the roof. No, that
would kill those theme parks.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
So, but then you've got these Democrat led cities like
Chicago and New York and San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
San Francisco's lost almost all of its revenue from from
conferences because they left. Tell you what, let's play a game.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Black battleship, shall we say? So.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
We were just talking about the Saints signing a new
deal with the state so that they're going to be
in the super Dome through twenty thirty five. Question today
is what are the oldest stadiums still active in the NFL?
The oldest stadium, oldest stadiums?
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Oh man, I'm gonna really show my my age.
Speaker 5 (36:41):
Okay, all right, I mean I know, I know it's closed. Yeah,
I know. It's Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
Speaker 6 (36:51):
No, that was that was an old woman.
Speaker 5 (36:52):
No, that's that's an oldie, but of goodies.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Kay, yeah, that's not that's not in the NFL current.
Speaker 5 (36:56):
Okay, what are the oldest the oldest stadium? Oh? Oh,
Soldier Field in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Soldier Field the oldest in Chicago.
Speaker 6 (37:05):
It is the oldest, the oldest.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Nineteen twenty four. That is the oldest stadium. However, the
Bears just announced this season that they are moving to
the suburbs. They are abandoning Soldier Field, So in the
next couple of years, Soldier Field will no longer be
in the NFL. So it's been in the NFL since
nineteen twenty four.
Speaker 5 (37:21):
All right, how about the Superdome for the New Orleans Saints.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
SUPERDOMERCEDI has been Superdome nineteen seventy five, Number five on
the list. It's the fifth oldest stadium in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (37:30):
Ah, goodness, gracious. You know they keep changing the names
of all these stadiums. Okay, because of the sponsorship.
Speaker 6 (37:37):
Right right, But I'll take I'll take the team.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
You'll take the team, the team, okay. The Pittsburgh Steelers,
the Pittsburgh Steelers. No, No, they built new stadium, new one.
Let's see here.
Speaker 4 (37:49):
Oh, the Packers, the Green Bay pack.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Green Bay Packers number two, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin,
built in nineteen fifty seven.
Speaker 5 (37:59):
Nineteen tiety seven. I am scratching my head here.
Speaker 4 (38:03):
Oh, Kansas City number three, Arrowhead Stadium nineteen seventy two,
Kansas City Chiefs old top three oldest stadiums. Oldest is
the Astrodome? Does that count? I'm just kidding.
Speaker 5 (38:20):
I'm kidding. I know that's been gone a very long time,
you know what. I'm out? Yeah, I am completely out.
All right.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
So the oldest stadium was Soldier Field for the Chicago
Bears in Chicago, Illinois Stuff Bears Lambeufield, So Lambo's about
to be the oldest because the Soldier Field to be
going away. That's the Packers in Green Bay built in
nineteen fifty seven. Arrowhead Stadium nineteen seventy two for the
Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
New Era Field.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
That was not the name of it before, but it's
nineteen seventy three for the Buffalo Bills. I don't even
remember what the Buffalo Bill Stadium was. It's just it
was always covered in snow, right, remember that?
Speaker 2 (38:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (38:55):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (38:56):
Okay, So that was built nineteen seventy three. Then the
super Dome nineteen seventy five. Then you have to jump
twelve years to hard Rock Stadium nineteen eighty seven for
the Miami.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Dolphins Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
Then you get the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Jump another eight years to nineteen ninety five ever Bank Field,
Jacksonville Jaguars. Then you have Bank of An America Stadium
number eight on this list for the Carolina Panthers, built
in nineteen.
Speaker 5 (39:18):
Ninety six, FedEx Field built.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
In nineteen ninety seven for the Washington Redskins, and M
and T Bank stadium in nineteen ninety eight for the
Baltimore Ravens. There is a huge jump. Basically there's one
stadium between when New Orleans was built and then in
the nineteen nineties.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
Well, you know what, as I'm looking at this list,
one thing I know for sure money does not buy
success because look at the Kansas City Chiefs right.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Older Bowl champs and very old stadium. They're very success packers.
They've been very successful in the NFL.
Speaker 6 (39:50):
A lot of old stadiums.
Speaker 3 (39:52):
We'll be at back of more American Great Radio Instagram.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
You're listening to American Ground Radio.
Speaker 6 (40:14):
Welcome back to American Ground Radium.
Speaker 5 (40:15):
Stephen Power of lewisar Avaloney Well and blight.
Speaker 4 (40:19):
Also, I won't say it creates crime, but it certainly
makes crime more susceptible in those areas.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
It can provide a safe haven for crime to flourish. Again,
We've had a lot of buildings that have burned down. Well,
that's a form of arson, that's the type of crime.
You've had drug deals that have gone on in these
empty properties, that's a crime. So yes, the blight can
lead to crime. Blight can lead to the destruction of neighborhoods.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
And there was a study from the University of Pennsylvania
that found when abandoned buildings were demolished, gun assaults dropped.
Gun violence dropped by nearly forty percent in those those neighborhoods.
Forty percent. That's fewer kids that are shot, that's fewer
break ins, that's fewer grieving families. Because every as you
(41:10):
pointed out, every derelict or you know, abandoned property is
a magnet for drug dealers and squatters and gain activity.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
And I do like that Mayor Arsenal is. Look, I
don't like that he's proposing a two percent tax on
your water bill.
Speaker 5 (41:25):
I do like a lot of folks on fixed income.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Well, whether you're on fixed income or not, I don't
want to pay more. I don't want to pay more
on my water bill.
Speaker 6 (41:32):
I just don't.
Speaker 5 (41:33):
But yeah, but what is the cost to your property
value if you're a homeowner.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Well, my property value I don't have blighted. It's I mean,
no it it look I know what effects. I don't
care what fancy neighborhood you live. But my point affects everyone.
But my point is I am not convinced that our
city is spending all of the money in the best
possible way. If we're spending money on things that government
shouldn't be spending money on that, don't tax me on
(41:58):
money that I need. I need proof from our city
that we're not giving.
Speaker 5 (42:02):
Money to NGOs.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
I agree that should be getting city money before you
start asking for money for me on top of my
water bill.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
But all I'm trying to say here, yes, we're not
in favor of more taxes or higher fees. But you
know it's that old mantra that nothing ever changes around here, Well,
it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. You can't attract new
businesses to an area that is surrounded by collapsing houses
and abandoned commercial buildings.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
I agree fighting blight is very important. I'm just not
convinced our city spending the money.
Speaker 5 (42:36):
Yet in the right way, and we need to do
that before we start asking for taxes.
Speaker 6 (42:41):
We'll be Backstackground.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
The second hour of American Ground Radio is coming up
next
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