Kirk Talbot
Encyclopedia
Michael Kirk Talbot is a Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from River Ridge
, Louisiana
, located in Jefferson Parish in suburban New Orleans
.
in his native Metairie
in Jefferson Parish and holds an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi
at Oxford
.
against Harahan
Councilwoman
Tiffany Scot Wilken to replace the term-limited District 78 Representative Shirley D. Bowler
, a Republican who had served since 1992.
as an area ripe for cutting. In a June 15, 2009, letter to the editor
of the Times-Picayune (New Orleans), Talbot explicitly opposed 2009 Louisiana Senate
Bill 335 by Senator Lydia P. Jackson
of Shreveport
and criticized the increased rate of state spending for higher education over the last 10 years; Jackson’s bill was an attempt to delay a state income-tax
reduction as a means of forestalling a 15.4-percent budget cut to Louisiana's public universities. The income-tax reduction was in a 2008 statute intended to accelerate reversal of the Stelly Plan
, named for its author, former Republican State Representative Vic Stelly
of Lake Charles
. Talbot supported the reversal in his 2007 campaign in which he also endorsed private school vouchers. Talbot's letter was symptomatic of a larger struggle over the budget in the Louisiana Legislature. On the next day (June 16, 2009) and without naming Talbot, a letter from Louisiana State Senate
president Joel Chaisson
appeared in the Times-Picayune. Chaisson asserted there was "a misguided attempt by the House to protect their member projects"; the representatives were "allowing their member projects to go forward even if higher education is not properly funded" according to Chaisson.
, Talbot worked for Fannie Mae. The Talbots attend Saint Martin
’s Episcopal Church
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
from River Ridge
River Ridge, Louisiana
River Ridge is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 14,588 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, located in Jefferson Parish in suburban New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Education
Talbot attended Saint Martin's Episcopal SchoolSt. Martin's Episcopal School
St Martin's Episcopal School is a private school in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans.Founded in 1947, St. Martin’s provides a college-preparatory education within a coeducational environment that features focus on academics, the arts, athletics, service learning, and religious...
in his native Metairie
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
in Jefferson Parish and holds an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
at Oxford
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
.
Political career
First elected in the 2007 general electionGeneral election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
against Harahan
Harahan, Louisiana
Harahan is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 9,885 at the 2000 census.Harahan was named in honor of James Theodore Harahan, president of the Illinois Central Railroad from 1906-1911...
Councilwoman
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
Tiffany Scot Wilken to replace the term-limited District 78 Representative Shirley D. Bowler
Shirley D. Bowler
Shirley Duvigneaud Bowler is a writer and editor who served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 until term-limited in 2008. A Republican, she represented Louisiana House District 78, which includes her hometown of Harahan, Louisiana, in Jefferson Parish in suburban New...
, a Republican who had served since 1992.
Cuts to higher education
Talbot is a proponent of reduced spending by Louisiana government, specifically naming higher educationHigher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
as an area ripe for cutting. In a June 15, 2009, letter to the editor
Letter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
of the Times-Picayune (New Orleans), Talbot explicitly opposed 2009 Louisiana Senate
Louisiana State Senate
The Louisiana State Senate is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All Senators serve four year terms and are assigned multiple committees to work on. The Republicans control the State Senate following a Special Election Victory in District 26 by Jonathan W. Perry...
Bill 335 by Senator Lydia P. Jackson
Lydia P. Jackson
Lydia Patrice Jackson is an African American Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Shreveport, Louisiana. Since 2004, Jackson has represented the 39th District in Caddo Parish in the far northwestern corner of her state....
of Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
and criticized the increased rate of state spending for higher education over the last 10 years; Jackson’s bill was an attempt to delay a state income-tax
State income tax
State and local income taxes are imposed in addition to Federal income tax. State income tax is allowed as a deduction in computing Federal income tax, subject to limitations for individuals. Some localities impose an income tax, often based on state income tax calculations. Forty-three states...
reduction as a means of forestalling a 15.4-percent budget cut to Louisiana's public universities. The income-tax reduction was in a 2008 statute intended to accelerate reversal of the Stelly Plan
Stelly Plan
The Stelly Plan is a since repealed 2002 tax measure in the U.S. state of Louisiana designed to shift certain state sales taxes on food for home consumption and utilities to increases in state income taxes. Narrowly approved by voters, the proposal soon ran into criticism as middle-class taxpayers...
, named for its author, former Republican State Representative Vic Stelly
Vic Stelly
Victor Theodore Stelly, known as Vic Stelly , is a retired businessman from Lake Charles, Louisiana, a member of the Louisiana Board of Regents for Higher Education, and from 1988-2004 a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 35 in Calcasieu Parish in the...
of Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
. Talbot supported the reversal in his 2007 campaign in which he also endorsed private school vouchers. Talbot's letter was symptomatic of a larger struggle over the budget in the Louisiana Legislature. On the next day (June 16, 2009) and without naming Talbot, a letter from Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Senate
The Louisiana State Senate is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All Senators serve four year terms and are assigned multiple committees to work on. The Republicans control the State Senate following a Special Election Victory in District 26 by Jonathan W. Perry...
president Joel Chaisson
Joel Chaisson
Joel Thomas Chaisson, II , is an American Democratic politician who is the outgoing president of the Louisiana State Senate. He assumed the leadership position on January 14, 2008. A resident of Destrehan, Chaisson has represented Senate District 19 in St. Charles Parish since 2000...
appeared in the Times-Picayune. Chaisson asserted there was "a misguided attempt by the House to protect their member projects"; the representatives were "allowing their member projects to go forward even if higher education is not properly funded" according to Chaisson.
Personal life
Talbot and his wife, the former Julie Strong, have a daughter and a son. The Talbots, part owners of Lucky Dogs Inc., are involved in various business-related organizations in Jefferson Parish. For one year in the aftermath of Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Talbot worked for Fannie Mae. The Talbots attend Saint Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
’s Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
.