As a committed and tireless advocate for Louisiana, Jay Dardenne has worked vigorously over the years to make ethics reform a reality, cut taxes, protect businesses, and make government work for the people. Dardenne's record: Conservative. Visionary.  Effective.  A proven leader with bold results.  Our state's image could not be in better hands.

 

For more information, please read below, or join us at www.jaydardenne2011.com for campaign news and updates.

 

AS YOUR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, JAY...

  • Saved the state $6 million by delaying taking office to avoid a special election for Secretary of State
  • Eliminated several unnecessary executive level positions, saving taxpayers another $100,000
  • Chose to run the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in addition to his duties as Lt. Governor
  • Created consistent criteria for parishes to follow in spending advertising and marketing funds made available by BP
  • Made more than 50 satellite television and radio show appearances across the country promoting Louisiana seafood and travel opportunities and spoke to more than 115 groups in Louisiana
  • Fulfilled a campaign promise to create a new brand for the state that would highlight all of our distinct cultures and colorful history. The new brand, Pick Your Passion, was launched in January is getting national attention
  • Addressed a worldwide military audience from Tiger Stadium on Memorial Day on American Forces Network at Bayou Country Superfest to thank them for their service, remember our fallen heroes and let them know that Louisianans can't wait until they can come back home
  • Co-Chairs the America's Wetland Foundation's Blue Ribbon Resilient Communities leadership forums, leading a series of 13 coastal community sessions from Texas to Florida over the next year to build resiliency across the Gulf Coast and to demonstrate the gravity of long-term consequences to our national assets if we don't act soon
  • Was the first inaugural recipient of the America's Service Commission's State Leader Award for his "passion and appreciation for volunteerism and service."
  • Launched a statewide campaign with Volunteer Louisiana called "All We Need Is U" designed to rekindle the spirit of service, citizenship and volunteerism among all Louisiana citizens and to drum up more volunteers for local programs and projects.

 

AS SECRETARY OF STATE, JAY...

  • Eliminated high paying executive positions and streamlined the management of the Department of State
  • Developed GeauxVote.com and GeauxBiz.com websites as user friendly ways to access information
  • Championed increased early voting sites and hours
  • Advocated fewer election dates and less use of special elections
  • Increased pay for poll commissioners
  • Initiated a compact with other states to fight election fraud
  • Streamlined laws to punish election law violators
  • Created the Archive Road Show
  • Established the Friends of the Louisiana Archives
  • Established the Secretary of State Museum System with standard policies and procedures and the annual museum summit
  • Eliminated admission fees at all department museums
  • Led the private fundraising effort and spearheaded the opening of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum
  • Opened the Tioga Heritage Museum and the Louisiana Military Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Raised $1.2 million in the private sector to help with an exhibit redesign at Louisiana's Old State Capitol
  • Named the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum after Louisiana native General Claire Lee Chennault
  • Created the Heroes & Heritage Trail linking all museums in the Secretary of State system
  • Introduced the DNA for Life Character Education Program based upon the character qualities of Eddie G.Robinson
  • Implemented an on-line filing system for Louisiana business entities
  • Created the "Road to the White House" educational program for presidential elections
  • Delivered more than 400 speeches statewide on Louisiana history, culture and elections

 

COMBATING ELECTION FRAUD

As Secretary of State, Jay Dardenne initiated a compact with other states to fight election fraud.

 

CUTTING TAXES

Jay Dardenne has voted for more than two-dozen tax repeals, exemptions, and credits in order to lower taxes for Louisiana families and businesses.

  • Jay led the charge on the Senate floor to repeal the Death Tax.
  • He filed legislation to repeal the Gift Tax.
  • Jay was an early advocate of TOPS, termed by many as the largest middle class tax cut in Louisiana history. After its passage, he handled numerous bills to strengthen and protect TOPS.
  • Jay authored the Motion Picture Tax Credit legislation, which has sparked a new, clean industry for Louisiana, brought in over two billion dollars in revenue and created thousands of Louisiana jobs since 2002.
  • When Edwin Edwards and his cronies pushed for a billion dollar tax increase, Jay fought to have that proposal cut in half. The reduced proposal passed with Jay voting “NO”.
  • He repeatedly and vigorously opposed the Oil and Gas Processing Tax.

For his efforts to bring about conservative reform, Jay Dardenne was re-elected to the state senate in 2003 overwhelmingly with 78% of the vote in one of the most conservative senate districts in the state. The next year he was named National Republican Legislator of the Year, an award given only to true conservatives.

According to the Louisiana Political Fax Weekly of December 20, 2002, "Jay Dardenne... is widely regarded as one of the most talented lawmakers to ever serve [sic] in the Capitol."

 

PROTECTING LIFE AND TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

Jay Dardenne voted for the Constitutional amendment that recognizes marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman. He is pro-traditional marriage but believes that the government does not have the right to create any unwarranted regulation into people’s private lives.

Jay Dardenne is pro-life. His voting record shows that he has not once voted for abortion in any situation except in the case where rape, incest, or saving the life of the mother is involved.

Jay Dardenne is opposed to human cloning and embryonic stem cell research. Based on his long-term support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and his involvement with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Jay has supported research efforts advanced by respected entities like LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation.

Voted YES & Co-Sponsored Woman's Right to Know (1995)
Voted YES on Ban on Partial Birth Abortion (1997)
Voted YES on Abortion Facilities Regulations (1999)
Voted YES to implement Choose Life License Plate (1999)
Voted YES to Abortion Post-Viability Restrictions (1999)
Voted YES to Born Alive Infant Protection Act (2001)
Voted YES to Abortion Clinic Regulations (2001)
Voted YES to Re-Implement Choose Life License Plate (2003)
Voted YES to Human Dignity Act (protects against Terri Schiavo situations - 2005)

 

REDUCING STATE SPENDING

Despite false claims from his critics, Jay Dardenne has NEVER voted to “double the size of the state budget.”

  • As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee from 2004 to 2008, he refused to allow the so-called “slush funds” to be included in the budget and he led a review of state finances called “Cut The Fat” that led to long-term changes in state government spending.

 

A RECORD OF TRANSPARENCY & ETHICS

Jay led the charge to prohibit legislators from receiving free tickets to sporting events. This legislation finally was passed as part of Governor Jindal’s ethics reform initiative after Jay was elected Secretary of State. He has NEVER received free tickets for a “Tiger Stadium Suite." He refused to hold fundraisers during legislative sessions, and opposed all legislative pay raise proposals and even refused to accept a pay raise granted over his objection. He authored the Louisiana term-limits legislation.

 

OPPOSITION TO GAMBLING

Jay was one of the most staunch and outspoken opponents of legalized gambling in Louisiana. He never voted to allow new Indian casinos in our state and never supported any expansion of gambling. He also passed legislation prohibiting gambling contributions to political campaigns.

 

PROTECTING LOUISIANA BUSINESS

During his time in the state Senate, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry consistently ranked Jay Dardenne among the top five Senators for his pro-business record. He had a perfect voting record with LABI for five of his fifteen years in the Senate. As Secretary of State, Jay enacted procedures for businesses to file documents online.

 

RESPONSE TO MY OPPONENT'S ATTACKS

My opponent is trying to distort my record. I am proud of my record in the State Senate, as your Secretary of State, and as your Lieutenant Governor. I am setting the record straight.

Income Tax
HB 295 (2000)               This repealed limited deductions and exemptions and created the Education                                                     Enhancement Fund to provide for increased teacher pay.

HB 171 (2002)               This increased excise federal itemized deduction; actually a tax decrease.

HB 238 (2002)               This extended suspension on educational expense which never had
                                    been imposed; NOT a tax increase.

Sales Tax
HB 169 (2002)               This made permanent a suspension of exemptions and actually reduced
                                    a tax on food for home consumption; NOT a tax increase.

Beer Tax
HB 165 (2002)              This was a permit fee increase; NOT a tax

Small Business Tax
HB 198 (2000)              This was a change in taxation of Subchapter S corporations to reflect
                                   changes in federal law; NOT a tax increase.

Utility Tax
HB 36 (2000)                NOT a tax increase

HB 169 (2002)              This made permanent a suspension of exemptions and actually reduced a tax
                                   on food for home consumption; NOT a tax increase.

Tax on Shrimpers
HB 1711 (2004)            Fee; NOT a tax

Tax on Farmers
SB 161 (2004)              Fee; NOT a tax

Higher Fishing Fees
HB 12 (2000)               Fee; NOT a tax

Higher Hunting Fees
HB 12 (2000)               Fee; NOT a tax

Higher Boating Fees
HB 12 (2000)               Fee; NOT a tax

Higher Local Taxes
SB 291 (2005)              This created local and regional economic development districts; taxes only could
                                   be imposed by a vote of the people.

Jay is pro-life and has constantly so stated and voted during his entire career dating back to his initial election to the Senate in 1991. He mistakenly voted against SB 33 when it was initially considered in the Senate. He immediately notified the clerk on personal privilege and announced that he had voted in error. The Official Journal of the Senate reflects this vote. When the bill returned to the Senate later in the session for final passage, Jay voted FOR the bill.

Jay opposed SB 220 in 2005. The bill was opposed by LABI and the National Federation of Small Business because it exposed businesses to the risk of losing their license to operate and added more government bureaucracy. Existing penalties under both federal and state law already sufficiently and substantially punished violators. This bill was a job killer. Jay voted against SB 753 in 2006 because it also punished contractors for things which they could not control. The bill passed the Senate over Jay's objection, but was amended in the House to cure the defects. Jay voted for the bill when it returned from the House with amendments.

JAY'S VOTES ON THESE BILLS WERE SUPPORTING LOUISIANA BUSINESSES AND CONTRACTORS AND CERTAINLY WERE NOT SUPPORTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OVER LOUISIANA WORKERS. TO THE CONTRARY, IT WAS PROTECTING THE JOBS OF LOUISIANA WORKERS AND AVOIDING MORE NEEDLESS GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY.

 


"I'm proud of Jay... He's been a strong advocate for good government, fiscal responsibility and investing in our people. I know he'll fight to restore our image in the wake of the oil spill." - Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser 11/1/2010