Letter: In Louisiana, vote NO on all amendments

By Barbara Kaplinsky

Just Say NO!

On the March 29 Municipal Election Ballot, voters will be deciding on four constitutional amendments. Many non-partisan non-profits have done the research and are calling for all four Amendments to be rejected by the voters. Here’s why:

Vote NO on Amendment 1: Specialty Courts

Amendment 1 gives the legislature unlimited authority to establish new specialty courts with unelected magistrates. This would allow for the creation of business courts, which could handle coastal and other business-related lawsuits. It would benefit business interests with courts likely to favor them. And there would be no public accountability.

Vote NO on Amendment 2: Sweeping changes to taxes and spending authority

Amendment 2 limits future flexibility, including after disasters or economic downturns. It would likely lead to cuts in services to ordinary Louisiana residents and those in need. A piece of the Amendment deals with teacher pay but it is a ‘poison pill.’ A teacher stipend is misleading and would not change teacher pay. The legislature has the authority to make the $2,000 teacher stipend permanent without a constitutional amendment. The main group who benefits from this amendment are the rich, who will pay lower taxes. And who loses? The burden falls heavier on middle class and poor citizens.

Vote NO on Amendment 3: Dismantling Juvenile Justice

Currently the constitution allows DAs to charge 14- to 16-year-old children as adults for 14 serious crimes. Amendment 3 would let the legislature lower the age children can be tried as adults to 13 and Increase the number of felonies for which children can be tried as adults. Children who are incarcerated even briefly are more likely to wind up back in the criminal legal system. Children’s misbehavior can be managed safely in the juvenile justice system and often, even in the community. Children locked up in adult prison and jails are 36 times more likely to commit suicide and 33 percent more likely to die before they are 40 years old. Locking up children as adults is inhumane. It makes us less safe by increasing the risk of future crimes. It is less effective than keeping their cases in the Juvenile Justice system. It is likely to increase costs because federal law requires children under 18 to be housed out of sight and contact with adult incarcerated people. No one benefits.

Vote NO on Amendment 4: Tinkering with Judicial Elections

This amendment is unnecessary. Current law allows judicial vacancies to be filled on the next available election date. This amendment would simply delay justice for ordinary people.

Barbara Kaplinsky is a New Orleans Community Activist.