An Analysis: The 10 Top NOLa Political stories of 2022

By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer

Rise of the Progressives: The defeat of PSC Commissioner Lambert Boissiere III in the December 10 runoff signaled much more than an upset. Davante Lewis’ triumph over the 17-year incumbent showed the increasing power of the Left in New Orleans and throughout the African-American majority Second Congressional District. The win demonstrated that the defeat of Sheriff Marlin Gusman a year prior stood as no aberration. Centrist Democratic politicians in Louisiana need to be put on warning. Just as the Right took over the GOP; the Left is coming for you.

The Recall: When LaToya Cantrell won a second term with 2/3 of the vote, and with no major challengers, few in politics could have predicted that a mass effort would assemble just months later to remove her from office. Already, the recall is the most successful of such an effort in Louisiana history, with nearly 25,000 signatures. However, that means the total stands at less than half of the names needed to initiate a recall election. There were 266,714 registered voters in Orleans Parish as of August 1, 2022. Petitions were filed on August 26, 2022. Recall organizers are required to submit 53,343 valid signatures by February 22, 2023, or 20 percent of the local electorate.

The Pontabla: The controversy over Mayor Cantrell’s use of a free apartment in the Upper Pontabla Building in the French Quarter not only signified her growing political isolation, it also re-ignited the debate over the free perks that Louisiana politicians have historically gained, with little public oversight. Put alongside the mayor’s travel upgrades controversy, a growing public awareness of the use of public resources for personal gain has begun to dominate the political discussion. Finally.

Failure of Redistricting: Multiple efforts were made so that Louisiana’s legislative and congressional district designs reflected the fact that 1/3 of the population is African American. Efforts to increase Black representation in the state House and Senate failed legislatively, yet the override of the governor’s veto meant that Louisiana will keep just one minority-majority congressional district. Eyes now turn to the U.S. Supreme Court, yet a high court – which seriously leans towards overturning affirmative action in education – may not be so sympathetic.

State Police Accountability: Ronald Greene’s killing on a Union Parish roadside in 2019 triggered a serious legislative examination of the Louisiana State Police, something decades overdue. Admittedly, the motive of the GOP majority likely sought to embarrass a Democratic governor, yet finally seeing a degree of legislative oversight of the often out of control rank-and-file troopers brought a sign of relief to critics of the troubled agency.

The Charter Amendment: The decision in November of the Orleans electorate to amend their basic law to grant the City Council the oversight power on senior mayoral appointments has already impacted the NOPD, and the amendment will not take effect until January 1, 2023. Cantrell’s appointment of Michele Woodfork came with the caveat that the new superintendent’s post is interim pending the national search which the City Council demands. In the past, the mayor would just ignore the council members’ appointments to his or her administration. Now, that executive insouciance is no longer possible.

The Coming Property Tax Revolt: The narrow statewide failure of Constitution Amendment #6, mostly due to North La. GOP parishes voting against New Orleans-centric legislation, has implications for all of Louisiana. As property values increase, so does the taxable amount, translating to many urban homeowners receiving property tax bills which have increased by a factor of ten-times in a decade. Literally, tax bills are pushing people out of homes owned for generations. A property tax revolt is imminent, and those good government advocates who opposed the effort to limit assessment increases to 10 percent per year may see a constitutional freeze on most home assessments as a result. After all, it just requires taking out “over 65” from the current constitution to achieve that result.

End of the Income Tax: A previously impossible thought may dominate the coming legislative session, in an election year no less. A growing bipartisan consensus has begun to unify behind the idea that Louisiana should do away with its personal income tax, so as to be more competitive with neighbors Texas and Florida. While some on the Center-Left, like the Louisiana Budget Project condemn the idea, other progressives have advocated to replace the income tax with an oil processing tax. On the Right, conversations include increasing the state sales tax or instituting a documented “Stamp Tax” like Florida. The financial threshold of $5.4 billion presents a huge fiscal cliff. Still, the fact that Democrats and Republicans are entertaining the idea, whether it succeeds or not, stands as a huge political development.

Port Expansion: A container port closer to the Gulf of Mexico, in order to take advantage of a widened Panama Canal, came one step closer to reality in the last few weeks. Ports America committed to invest $800 million in private money towards creating the $1.8 billion cargo terminal in St. Bernard Parish. The Port of New Orleans has committed $500 million, and President Biden’s “Infrastructure Czar,” aka former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, looks to provide funds for the remaining roads, bridges, and rail improvements. What seemed like an impossible financial wall twelve months ago may now soon break ground, bringing Louisiana billions in intermodal commerce and imports/exports. That is if a group of concerned St. Bernard activists do not succeed. They argue that the “Louisiana International Terminal” will irreparably damage their community, and deny locals access to the riverfront.

Rise of Steve Scalise: Louisiana’s First District congressman may very well become the Speaker of U.S. House of Representatives next month. He has the votes if Kevin McCarthy should fail in his bid, but even if the California Republican succeeds to the top job, the battle for the Speakership revealed what D.C. insiders already knew. The Jefferson Parish representative already has proven to be the most popular – and powerful – Republican on the Hill. As GOP Majority Leader, the influence that Scalise will be able to wield for his home district in Greater New Orleans is incalculable.

This article originally published in the December 26, 2022 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.