Recommendations for March 20 Special Election

U. S. Representative 2nd Congressional District: Troy A. Carter

In what was a particularly difficult decision for the editorial board of The Louisiana Weekly, our editors opted to endorse a candidate who could both push an aggressive progressive agenda and maintain close relationships across the political aisle to best represent the New Orleans Metro Region and the River Parishes. The Democratic Minority Leader of the Louisiana state Senate, past city councilman and Algiers state representative best exemplifies that tradition of leadership. Troy Carter can both push a $15 minimum wage as well as count many Republicans as friends and allies in his attempts to bring attention to infrastructural problems in his district.

State Representative 82nd Representative District: Raymond Delaney Jr.

This special election has some unusually good candidates seeking to replace Charles Henry. Eddie Connick, for example, put forth some good ideas on maximizing health care clusters and employing health management groups to expand coverage to needy neighborhoods. Ultimately, though, our editors opted for Democrat Dr. Raymond Delaney Jr. The SUNO professor of criminal justice also serves as the president and CEO of the nonprofit Louisiana Coalition for Offender Resources (LaCOR), which helps formerly incarnated inmates re-enter society.

Parish of Jefferson, Consolidated Waterworks District No. 2 – 5.0 Mills – PC – 10 Yrs.: Vote NO

Parish of Jefferson, Consolidated Sewerage District No. 1 – 5.0 Mills – PC – 10 Yrs.: Vote NO

These two 10-year-long property taxes would collect $18,381,984 and $15,230,872 respectively, each levying five (5.0) mills on all property subject to taxation in Jefferson Parish. While the details remain a bit sketchy to our editors “of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and/or operating waterworks facilities in the District,” as the propositions read, that alone did not engender our opposition.

A collective ten mill property tax levies a significant cost on the average homeowner and small businessperson. The entire electorate should have a chance to decide upon such a matter. The fact of the matter is that most of Jefferson Parish will not be going to the polls in the March 20 election. Other than District 82 and South Kenner, virtually no part of East Jefferson has any candidate for which to vote. To put a major sewerage millage on the ballot when no one has a reason to go to the polls counts for electoral malpractice.

This article originally published in the March 15, 2021 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.