State Rep. John Schroder (R-Covington) has released a new website that allows citizens to report cases of wasteful spending of state tax dollars. The website, StopLouisianaWaste.com, allows people to anonymously report cases of state agencies and employees wasting taxpayer dollars.

“You would think at this stage in the game we would have squeezed out all the inefficiencies that exist in Baton Rouge, but that just doesn’t seem to be the case,” Schroder told the Louisiana Radio Network.

Schroder, who is also running for state Treasurer this year, pledged to look into every single waste report himself if necessary. He also stresses that waste reports can be submitted anonymously and that he will do what he can to fix any waste that is found.

The website is paid for with campaign funds and is not being paid for by taxpayers.

Schroder has become one of the leading “fiscal hawks” in the legislature and has done battle with Bobby Jindal and John Bel Edwards over what he sees is a state government that spends too much. He was the only state representative to speak against HB 2, which is the infrastructure part of the state budget, in the last regular session.

This is smart for Schroeder to start defining himself as the fiscal conservative and good government guy in the crowded Treasurer’s race. It’s clear he needs to find a niche because he’s splitting the metro New Orleans vote with Julie Stokes and he’ll also split the conservative vote with Neil Riser. 

At worst, this is good PR for Schroder. At best, this may actually turn into a valuable tool to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in state government.