By Bobby Jindal
Governor of Louisiana

Our state has taken the first step towards a new beginning. It was a great honor to be sworn in as Governor of Louisiana, and I am looking forward to serving the residents of our great state. As you all know, there is much work to be done.

As I said during my Inauguration speech, change is coming to Louisiana. It is a change that will bring a better life for our children and grandchildren, and the generations that will follow.

Our state is known worldwide for our culture. We are envied for our arts, cuisine, and spirit. However, our state has also been known for our downfalls of the past. Our state has suffered from a lack of leadership, with too many politicians looking out for themselves, instead of the people they represent. Our bloated state government has been burdened by incompetence, bureaucracy and runaway spending. That however, is about to change.

We have been given an opportunity to create a future where Louisiana is not on the wrong end of scandals and jokes, but leading our nation forward in terms of accountability and economic development. Though the circumstances that brought our state to this point are not easy to comprehend, they have given us a second chance.

We have a second chance to improve our state's education, health care, and transportation systems, as well as make real investments that will spur economic development. We will not settle for surface changes, but rather will work until the very core of Louisiana's problems has been fixed.

As Inauguration Day moved on, one could not help but see the hope in people's eyes. They know that we have the opportunity to make the changes our state needs not over the course of decades, but in short order.

We must win a war on corruption and incompetence in government. It cannot be the last thing we do. It cannot be the second or third thing we do. It must be the first thing we do. Our biggest obstacle in the past must become our first victory toward a bright future.

I will call a special session of the Legislature beginning February 10th, to make our state's ethics laws the gold standard. Corruption and incompetence will no longer find a home here. Violations will not be tolerated, and excuses will not be accepted.

We must bring transparency to government so the people of Louisiana can be assured that their elected leaders are serving the interest of those who elected them instead of themselves. By strengthening conflict of interest and disclosure laws, we will be able to see who is putting money in our elected leaders' pockets, as well as prevent backroom deals.

Studies have shown that the number one issue we can tackle in order to improve our state is cleaning up corruption and changing our image. This will not only help attract new businesses and new residents, but help those currently here stay, and help those who have relocated to Dallas, Atlanta, and Houston return home.

After we strengthen our ethics laws, I will call a second special session focused on economic development. For too many years, our state has lost business and employment opportunities due to cumbersome and unnecessary business taxes that place businesses in Louisiana at an unfair disadvantage with businesses in other states. That will no longer be the case.

We must put a tax system in place that is fair to small businesses, corporations, and all of their employees. That is why we must accelerate the phase out of taxes on utilities, new equipment and debt that states around us do not charge and that constitute a new job tax that discourages investment and job creation. By fostering an environment conducive to growth, we will improve our state's economy and put more money in the hands of hard-working Louisianians.

With new business comes the need for a trained workforce. That is why I will ask our Legislature this year to reorient our workforce training to meet the challenges and skills required by the global economy. Whether graduating from college or completing technical training, all of our people must be ready to work on the first day.

As other states are improving their workforce training programs, Louisiana's training has stayed grounded in the economy of a century now past. It is time for state government to catch up and remove a weak link in our appeal to employers looking to grow.

As we continue working towards these goals in the coming weeks and months, I ask that Louisiana stand as one - not as North and South, not as black and white, not as Democrat and Republican - but as one and embrace this change. Our goal is a New Louisiana where success is shared by all Louisianians.

This New Louisiana will not come easily, but will occur with your help. I ask you to make Louisiana's rebirth your own priority. Make certain that your state legislators know that you are ready for a better Louisiana, and a better life for you and your children. Make certain that your neighbors, family, and friends know what is at stake in the next few years

We have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to change our state. We will not fail, because failure is not an option.

We can change, we must change, we will change into a New Louisiana.

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