Growth among district issues
Candidates focus on crime, traffic
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Editor’s note: Beginning today, The Advocate is running stories about the candidates for the 12 Metro Council seats in the Oct. 4 primary. Due to coverage of Hurricane Gustav, the Metro Council stories are not being published in chronological order. The interviews for this story were conducted before the hurricane hit Louisiana.
In one of the few Metro Council races with an incumbent, the District 2 candidates have differing views on how to address some of the issues facing the district and the parish.
The three candidates — incumbent Ulysses “Bones” Addison, Gerald Handy and Melanie Smith-Johnson — are all Democrats.
The candidates agree that while economic development in the parish seems to be moving forward, more of that development needs to come to the District 2 area, in the northern part of the parish.
Addison said he supports initiatives for business tax incentives and for supporting business owners who want to locate in District 2.
“What we can do is what I’ve done,” Addison said.
He said he’s worked to try to get a large grocery store and pharmacy in the district, but has been told several times by different companies that the cost of locating a store in the area will not be offset by the potential customer base.
“If your numbers don’t make sense, we’re not going to be able to build a $600,000 store there,” Addison said he’s been told.
“All we can do is provide whatever assistance we can to encourage business to locate in an area,” Addison said. “It has to make sense to them in the long run.”
Nevertheless, he noted that District 2 does provide a large tax base for the parish because of the petrochemical industries in the district.
“They’re not very sexy, but look at the tax rolls,” Addison said.
Smith-Johnson said the key to bringing more growth to District 2 is creating partnerships with major companies.
Another key is the condition of the community. If business owners are assured they’re coming to a safe, clean and healthy environment, then they’ll bring their businesses to the community, she said.
“Definitely we want businesses that would bring (good) things to the city, not bad things to the city. Not all growth is good growth,” Smith-Johnson said. “We definitely don’t need any more businesses that are environmentally unsafe in the community.”
Handy said the district’s economy is growing, but the development is mainly focused along Harding Boulevard.
“We’re doing better than we did five or six years ago,” he said.
But he added it’s still not the same community it was years ago when there was a theater and grocery story and other amenities.
On the issue of crime, Smith-Johnson said there are some simple things that could be done to make a difference: for example, providing better street lighting, placing cameras in high-crime areas and developing a collaborative effort between the police chief and other city-parish officials to develop a plan of action for District 2.
“Come up with a plan of action to tackle crime,” she said. “I have a lot of experience in program development and implementation of programs.”
A former firefighter, Handy said public safety is one of his biggest concerns.
“We’re not going to stamp out crime completely,” Handy said, but crime can be limited by providing funds to attract more law enforcement officers and putting more officers on patrol.
He did not specifically address where to find that funding.
Fighting crime also takes a community effort as well, he said, urging residents to get involved in crime prevention. He said police tell him that too many times residents fail to report crime in their neighborhoods.
Addison said a councilman can’t “solve” crime; however, he’s tried to bring more law enforcement officers to the district and worked on trying to get a new precinct built in the district.
But it’s not all about law enforcement, he said.
“We have to deal with the issues of unemployment and economy,” he said.
Addison said he’s made sure to develop a close working relationship with law enforcement in the district. In addition, he said he meets regularly with residents and law enforcement.
Residents need to be willing to report any crimes they witness and stand up to testify about it, he said.
“I’ve worked with law enforcement and with the court system to try to hold people accountable when they commit a crime in our community,” Addison said.
All three support the new parish prison included in the Nov. 4 bond proposal.
On the issue of traffic, all three also support the Green Light Program for road improvement and other traffic issues.
Handy said people in District 2 want the proposed highway loop around Baton Rouge, as long as the majority of that traffic doesn’t flow through Scotlandville.
“What I know about the mayor’s plan and the loop, I agree with that,” Handy said. “It’s a long-range plan,” he said.
Smith-Johnson said the issue needs to be looked at with the city planner and residents.
“Simple things. Like in District 2 we need some turn signal lights,” she said. “That would be a start.”
Addison said the city-parish is already addressing many of the traffic issues through discussions about the loop to the traffic signal synchronization project.
On the issues of taxes, fees and the bond proposal, Addison said continuing to raise fees on things such as garbage make it tough for residents.
Addison said he’s against the growth of fees on services that should be funded by taxes — like the garbage fee.
“We have general fund,” he said. “That’s why we pay taxes on our property, to get these services.”
He said there’s no question there needs to be a sewer fee, since that will roll off after a certain amount of time. But garbage fee increases won’t, he said.
On the proposed $989 million bond issue, Addison said he wanted to see the issue separated between infrastructure and economic development. He said he approves items like the improved security complex, but thinks the $248 million for the Audubon ALIVE downtown tourist attraction is too much.
“As a citizen, I oppose it because I think it’s too aggressive,” Addison said. “Ultimately, the taxpayers have to make that decision.”
Smith-Johnson said she doesn’t take a position on the bond proposal one way or another.
“I don’t think I’m in a position that I support or not support (the bond proposal),” Smith-Johnson said. “I’m saying it needs to be voted on by the people.”
Handy said he’s for the bond proposal.
“If you want better things, you’ve got to pay for it,” Handy said. You’re not going to get it for free, he said.
“We need it at this time to take us where we want to go,” Handy said.
In one of the few Metro Council races with an incumbent, the District 2 candidates have differing views on how to address some of the issues facing the district and the parish.
The three candidates — incumbent Ulysses “Bones” Addison, Gerald Handy and Melanie Smith-Johnson — are all Democrats.
The candidates agree that while economic development in the parish seems to be moving forward, more of that development needs to come to the District 2 area, in the northern part of the parish.
Addison said he supports initiatives for business tax incentives and for supporting business owners who want to locate in District 2.
“What we can do is what I’ve done,” Addison said.
He said he’s worked to try to get a large grocery store and pharmacy in the district, but has been told several times by different companies that the cost of locating a store in the area will not be offset by the potential customer base.
“If your numbers don’t make sense, we’re not going to be able to build a $600,000 store there,” Addison said he’s been told.
“All we can do is provide whatever assistance we can to encourage business to locate in an area,” Addison said. “It has to make sense to them in the long run.”
Nevertheless, he noted that District 2 does provide a large tax base for the parish because of the petrochemical industries in the district.
“They’re not very sexy, but look at the tax rolls,” Addison said.
Smith-Johnson said the key to bringing more growth to District 2 is creating partnerships with major companies.
Another key is the condition of the community. If business owners are assured they’re coming to a safe, clean and healthy environment, then they’ll bring their businesses to the community, she said.
“Definitely we want businesses that would bring (good) things to the city, not bad things to the city. Not all growth is good growth,” Smith-Johnson said. “We definitely don’t need any more businesses that are environmentally unsafe in the community.”
Handy said the district’s economy is growing, but the development is mainly focused along Harding Boulevard.
“We’re doing better than we did five or six years ago,” he said.
But he added it’s still not the same community it was years ago when there was a theater and grocery story and other amenities.
On the issue of crime, Smith-Johnson said there are some simple things that could be done to make a difference: for example, providing better street lighting, placing cameras in high-crime areas and developing a collaborative effort between the police chief and other city-parish officials to develop a plan of action for District 2.
“Come up with a plan of action to tackle crime,” she said. “I have a lot of experience in program development and implementation of programs.”
A former firefighter, Handy said public safety is one of his biggest concerns.
“We’re not going to stamp out crime completely,” Handy said, but crime can be limited by providing funds to attract more law enforcement officers and putting more officers on patrol.
He did not specifically address where to find that funding.
Fighting crime also takes a community effort as well, he said, urging residents to get involved in crime prevention. He said police tell him that too many times residents fail to report crime in their neighborhoods.
Addison said a councilman can’t “solve” crime; however, he’s tried to bring more law enforcement officers to the district and worked on trying to get a new precinct built in the district.
But it’s not all about law enforcement, he said.
“We have to deal with the issues of unemployment and economy,” he said.
Addison said he’s made sure to develop a close working relationship with law enforcement in the district. In addition, he said he meets regularly with residents and law enforcement.
Residents need to be willing to report any crimes they witness and stand up to testify about it, he said.
“I’ve worked with law enforcement and with the court system to try to hold people accountable when they commit a crime in our community,” Addison said.
All three support the new parish prison included in the Nov. 4 bond proposal.
On the issue of traffic, all three also support the Green Light Program for road improvement and other traffic issues.
Handy said people in District 2 want the proposed highway loop around Baton Rouge, as long as the majority of that traffic doesn’t flow through Scotlandville.
“What I know about the mayor’s plan and the loop, I agree with that,” Handy said. “It’s a long-range plan,” he said.
Smith-Johnson said the issue needs to be looked at with the city planner and residents.
“Simple things. Like in District 2 we need some turn signal lights,” she said. “That would be a start.”
Addison said the city-parish is already addressing many of the traffic issues through discussions about the loop to the traffic signal synchronization project.
On the issues of taxes, fees and the bond proposal, Addison said continuing to raise fees on things such as garbage make it tough for residents.
Addison said he’s against the growth of fees on services that should be funded by taxes — like the garbage fee.
“We have general fund,” he said. “That’s why we pay taxes on our property, to get these services.”
He said there’s no question there needs to be a sewer fee, since that will roll off after a certain amount of time. But garbage fee increases won’t, he said.
On the proposed $989 million bond issue, Addison said he wanted to see the issue separated between infrastructure and economic development. He said he approves items like the improved security complex, but thinks the $248 million for the Audubon ALIVE downtown tourist attraction is too much.
“As a citizen, I oppose it because I think it’s too aggressive,” Addison said. “Ultimately, the taxpayers have to make that decision.”
Smith-Johnson said she doesn’t take a position on the bond proposal one way or another.
“I don’t think I’m in a position that I support or not support (the bond proposal),” Smith-Johnson said. “I’m saying it needs to be voted on by the people.”
Handy said he’s for the bond proposal.
“If you want better things, you’ve got to pay for it,” Handy said. You’re not going to get it for free, he said.
“We need it at this time to take us where we want to go,” Handy said.
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