District 8 candidates hold differing views on issues

• By JEREMY HARPER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Sep 20, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.
• Editor’s note: This is the last in a series about the candidates for the 12 Metro Council seats in the Oct. 4 primary. Because of coverage of Hurricane Gustav, the Metro Council stories were not published in numerical order by district.

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Tiffany Foxworth and Mike Walker, the two candidates running for the Metro Council District 8 seat, differ on a wide range of issues.

Walker, a Republican, has held the council seat since 2000. This is the first time Foxworth, a Democrat, has run for political office.

The election is Oct. 4.

For this story, Walker and Foxworth were asked about traffic, crime, economic development, and taxes and fees.

The two candidates disagree on the need for Mayor-President Kip Holden’s $989 million bond proposal for capital improvements and economic development, which is on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Foxworth, an attorney, said she opposes a single vote on the entire proposal, but she supports some aspects of the plan, particularly the improvements for police and fire facilities.

She said the plan shouldn’t include Audubon ALIVE, a proposed $248 million nature-themed tourist attraction downtown near the Mississippi River. She said she also opposes using tax dollars to fund a downtown parking garage for a new convention hotel.

“I am all for business, all for expansion; however, that is not a priority of the people right now,” she said.

Residents of the district are opposed to new taxes because of the shaky state of the national economy and the economic impact of Hurricane Gustav, she said.

Walker, a full-time councilman, said the bond plan would address Baton Rouge’s long-standing infrastructure needs and help the city-parish lure tourists and businesses from other areas.

“If the public passes that bond proposal, it will move Baton Rouge to a tier of competition like we have never seen,” he said. “It will provide opportunities for generations who come after us.”

Walker said he supports the entire plan because the portions designed to spark new economic development would bring people and tax money that would in turn pay for operating expenses for the infrastructure projects included in the plan.

“Then you have secured your future for operating the jails and fire departments and paying your police officers,” he said.