Recommendations for the April 24, 2021 election

April Spring weather—and the final relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions amidst widespread vaccinations (for which hopefully, our subscribers have all made appointments) – could allow one to forget civic responsibilities. The 75-degree Saturdays and the relative return to normalcy should not stand as an excuse to forget to vote.

Highly competitive elections for Congress and the Legislature, along with critical tax measure are on the ballot. Your vote counts here, and with early voting running from April 10-17, and the election on the following Saturday, entering the balloting booth takes only a few minutes. Do not let the newfound sense of freedom distract from our civic duties. People died for that freedom.

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. In other words, we searched for a contender who could replicate the service of Cedric Richmond, as well as have the policy experience to serve from day one.

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. It is not a surprise that Carter enjoys wide GOP support on the West Bank at the same time as he earns strong backing from labor and pro-worker constituencies. He may not be able to replicate the close relationship that Rep. Richmond had with his best friend Steve Scalise, but if elected to Congress, Troy Carter could easily join forces with Scalise or Garret Graves to bring crucial dollars back to the metropolitan area.
Moreover, it is time for a West Bank candidate to represent the 2nd District. While the Congressional seat does include most of East Bank Orleans, and pieces of Shrewsbury and South Kenner in Jefferson, this U.S. House seat remains overwhelmingly West Bank in nature, from Algiers to Westwego, up the River Parishes to Baton Rouge. For too long, the West Bank has been the proverbial stepchild of the metro region. It needs a representative who has advocated for the “Best Bank” and yet still can build coalitions with his neighbors across the Mississippi River to pass legislation.

State Representative 82nd Representative District: Eddie Connick
In this special election to replace Rep. Charles Henry, our editors opted for experience. After 23 years in the medical and health services industry, Edwin “Eddie” Connick decided to “retire” and devote himself fulltime to helping transform our often broken and overpriced state healthcare system, by running for the legislature. The Louisiana state House needs his particular skillset. Connick’s pioneering administrative reforms in the hospital sector have led doctors to instituting medical upgrades—which not only made patient care more effective and attentive—but also saved millions of dollars.

Equally important, prior to entering the medical/administrative field, the Boston College and Jesuit graduate, worked on a program with HRI Properties, converting blighted housing into affordable living for families of faith. As such, the crisis of affordable housing, and the decline of homeownership, has remained one of Mr. Connick’s animating issues in the interceding two decades—constituting another area of focus if elected to the legislature. And, the people most in need of both better healthcare and housing might be the ones who could send him there.

The 82nd House District, stretching from Bonnabel to Old Metairie to Old Jefferson to the North Bridgedale and Willowdale neighborhoods, resembles a giant U, running along the Mississippi River from the Orleans Parish line to the edge of Harahan at Hickory, with West Napoleon Ave. generally providing the border on the central Metairie peninsula and Veterans Blvd. on the Old Metairie one. Nevertheless, the very changes to the lines of the seat in the 2010 redistricting may allow Black voters to serve as the deciding factor in the election. Caucasian-majority neighborhoods were drawn out into neighboring seats, while the historic African-American Shrewsbury/New Harlem neighborhood remained. These precincts are also part of the Second Congressional District, and have an alternative reason to turn out on election day, and as such, their electorate could provide with swing vote in this legislative election.

French Quarter Economic Development Dist. – .245% S&U Tax Increase – CC – 5 Yrs.: Vote YES
This is technically not a new tax, despite the wording. The initiative re-establishes police funding and quality of life services previously funded up to last year, and which had enjoyed great popularity amongst Vieux Carre residents. There had been move by City Hall last year to redirect part of the dollars collected from this sales tax to other purposes, and the residence in the French quarter and the city rebelled. The re-institution of the tax will keep the monies to their original “purpose of funding POST Certified supplemental police patrols and homeless assistance services, with the initial $2 million collected in any year dedicated to supplemental police patrols and any additional revenue to be divided between additional patrols and public safety programs (including homeless assistance), and administered by the French Quarter Management District for fiscal and operational oversight.” Our editors support return of funding this essential service.

City of Kenner Prop. No. 1 of 3 (Fire) — 7.40 Mills Renewal – CC – 10 Yrs.: Vote YES

City of Kenner Prop. No. 2 of 3 (Garbage) – 1.61 Mills Renewal – CC – 10 Yrs.: Vote YES

City of Kenner Prop. No. 3 of 3 (Sewer) – 1.14 Mills Renewal – CC – 10 Yrs.: Vote YES

These existing property taxes underwrite most of the City of Kenner’s crucial services. Without them, the suburban city could not pick-up trash, operate its sewerage and water systems, or prevent and fight fires. The millages must be renewed. Moreover, while Kenner could have opted to renew the measure in an election with nothing else on the ballot, the City Council decided to put the taxes before the voters amidst the relatively decent voter turnout that one sees in a competitive congressional election. Most of South Kenner sits within the Second U.S. House District, so the voters have an alternative reason to go to the polls—outside of a tax election.

This article originally published in the April 12, 2021 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.