Candidates disagree on solutions for parish

• By JOHN MCMILLAN
• Advocate River parishes bureau
• Published: Sep 24, 2007 - Page: 1B

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GONZALES — The three candidates for Ascension Parish president agreed Sunday that poor road conditions and heavy traffic are major problems in the parish but differed on how to solve those problems and on whether taxes are necessary.

“We need to get existing road projects done,” said Jerry Savoy, a parish councilman.

He said impact fees may need to be considered for future projects, if the fees are “fair and legal.”

Larry Buquoi, the parish legal adviser, said, “We need to use money more expertly. We need to do work for which the money has already been appropriated. We haven’t done the 2006 or 2007 road projects yet. We need to do those.”

Former parish president Tommy Martinez opposed impact fees and new taxes in general.

“Before I talk about taxes, I want to see about cutting government and putting all the money saved on roads,” he said.

Sunday’s forum was presented by Success Communication at the Ascension Community Theater in Gonzales and the candidates were quizzed by members of the print media.

On the subject of growth in one of the fastest-growing parishes in the state, all candidates said they are against unregulated development.

“We need to plan better,” Martinez said. “Growth is about all aspects of the parish, and a lack of planning is the problem.

Subdivisions are built without considering roads and schools. We need a strict zoning plan. The 1999 (zoning) document needs to be amended. We need to see where the growth is going and plan better.”

Buquoi said Ascension “needs controlled growth. … We have to tell subdivision developers where the subdivisions are going and we need an impact study to show where the growth needs to be. A development code would project public safety and preserve the rural character of the parish and encourage development where the infrastructure is.

Savoy said, “We need to follow the land-use plan and bring a professional planner into government. … A planner would help the Council decide where growth should go.”

Another issue discussed Sunday was the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, which parish government leases and has considered purchasing.