While most people watch what lawmakers say, we watch what they spend. Tucked deep inside Louisiana’s bloated supplemental budget (HB460) lies a million dollar case study in how power really works at the Capitol.
It’s not about speeches or party lines. It’s about who plays the game and who gets rewarded.
Remember, Louisiana has a Republican running every single state-wide elected office, and we have a supermajority in both chambers of the legislature. Not so fast. Enter Representative C. Travis Johnson, Democrat from Vidalia. He’s not just securing the bag. He’s creating the bag, filling it, and walking it back to his own district.
We traced $1 million in supplemental spending tucked inside HB460 to just four projects. But here’s the kicker: three were created by legislation authored by the same man who’s now funneling funds to them.
The Million Dollar Breakdown
I covered this discovery in an X thread earlier. Usually, I’d leave it there for our X followers to find, but the calls and pings started rolling in: ‘This needs to be an article,’ they said. So, here we go.
- $400,000 – Delta Agriculture Research & Sustainability District. They have windmills on their website. Windmills.
Created by Act 337 (2021). Authored by … Travis Johnson. A new political subdivision of the state of Louisiana, headquartered in Vidalia. - $250,000 – Ferriday Downtown Entertainment District. It sounds like a party, but it looks more like a Realty website, specializing in blighted properties.
Created by Act 200 (2024). Also authored by … Travis Johnson. Another political subdivision of the state. - $250,000 – 21st Century Workforce Development.
A nonprofit (read NGO) with strong ties to Johnson. It has no legislative origin but has event history and regular associations with Travis Johnson. - $100,000 – Delta Bike Trail Commission. It has no website or reports filed with the Legislative Auditor, but it’s a state government agency!
Created by Act 336 (2022). Authored by—you guessed it—C. Travis Johnson.
You provided ONE MILLION DOLLARS to Travis Johnson’s pet projects in Vidalia and Ferriday, Louisiana. Remember, though, he’s just one of 144 legislators. If you do the simple math, it starts to add up quickly. Please tell me we’re paying higher taxes on our cable bill and Netflix for something important. Go ahead.
How This Game Is Played
But let’s be clear: Rep. Travis Johnson is just an obvious example—one we happened to stumble across while digging through the budget. He’s not alone.
This practice—creating new political subdivisions via local bills and steering state dollars their way—has quietly become a go-to strategy across Louisiana. It’s effective, under the radar, and almost never challenged.
If you’re wondering how your tax dollars disappear into obscure “authorities” and “districts” you’ve never heard of, this is how it starts.
- File a local bill to create a new district, commission, or board.
- Tell legislative colleagues it’s “just local” to avoid scrutiny.
- Wait a year or two, then request funds through supplemental or capital outlay.
- If you’re in good standing with leadership, get a check. If not, tough luck.
It’s a rinse-and-repeat formula that’s become increasingly common. These “local” bills rarely get pushback because most legislators don’t want to meddle in someone else’s district. But once they’re law, they quietly become funding pipelines and patronage jobs.
The Million Dollar Club
This isn’t unique to Johnson. Over the past few years, lawmakers—especially Democrats who “play nice” with House leadership—have quietly secured $1 million each in local spending projects. It’s become an open secret at the Capitol.
Don’t believe it? Just ask the lawmakers who didn’t go along. After the 2023 budget cap debate, rural parishes lost millions in retribution:
“Rural Vernon Parish lost nearly $5 million after its House member bucked leadership.”
– Louisiana Illuminator
This Isn’t Reform. It’s Reinforcement.
The new game in Baton Rouge is hiding money in plain sight. Special districts and commissions have become the new way to move money without oversight. The public never votes, no debate is needed, and the same politician who writes the enabling legislation gets to direct the funds.
Meanwhile, taxpayers are kept in the dark—unless someone’s willing to shine a light into that dark corner.
P.S. Our Nonprofit Didn’t Get a Dime
No “district,” no “authority,” no capital outlay. Just regular folks trying to keep tabs on what your tax dollars are really paying for.
If we don’t watch this, no one will. Help us track every dollar, every district, and every local bill.
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