Judge rules in favor of candidates duo
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HAMMOND — Life partners Vanessa Williams and Michael Jackson prevailed in separate legal challenges to their qualification for the elected offices they seek this fall, according to court judgments filed Monday in Livingston and Amite.
State District Judge Brenda Bedsole Ricks filed written decisions Monday morning in both cases after presiding over back-to-back hearings Saturday for the challenges in the 21st Judicial District Court, first in Livingston and then in Amite.
The 21st Judicial District Court serves Livingston, Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishes.
Williams, 37, a Hammond attorney, is running for 21st Judicial district attorney.
Jackson, 39, a former professional football player and owner of a nightclub in Tangipahoa, is running for mayor of the village.
Williams said Monday she and Jackson are pleased with the judge’s decisions in both cases.
“I’m very happy with the outcome and I look forward to my campaign,” she said.
Lawson King, of Denham Springs, filed a challenge Friday to Williams’ bid for district attorney, alleging she did not hold a Louisiana law license for the required five years and resided outside the judicial district because her partner owns a home in Covington, where her children attend school.
Ricks wrote in her reasons for judgment that Williams’ five-year anniversary date is Oct. 10, which is after the Oct. 4 primary but before the Nov. 4 general election, which means she would meet the law license requirement.
As for the residency requirement, Ricks wrote that a person can legally maintain two residences, and Williams has a Tangipahoa Parish residence, also owned by Jackson.
In the other challenge filed Friday, Darrell Martin, a candidate for Tangipahoa mayor, alleged Jackson is not domiciled in Tangipahoa because he owns a home in Covington and filed for homestead exemption for that home.
Jackson, however, also filed for homestead exemption for his home in Tangipahoa and is registered to vote there. Jackson testified Saturday he was unaware he had a homestead exemption for his Covington home.
Ricks wrote that a mayoral candidate can have two residences, but he must actually live in the one inside the Tangipahoa municipal limits in order to run for office in the village. She cited a Louisiana Supreme Court decision in Russell v. Goldsby, a suit in 2000 over an Amite mayoral candidate having two homes,
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It's nice to know that a Judge feels it's no big deal to have LA homestead exemption on multiple homes. Did she open a loop hole for all of us to do it so we can save taxes - even if we're not running for office, or is it just for politicians to abuse?
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I don't think that was the issue . . . the issue was whether or not two people were qualified to run for office without being harrassed by the same Good Old Boy system that seems to prevail in this state.
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Well homestead exemption on multiple homes may not be the issue here but I for one would like to know how he does it. I am homestead exempted and as far as I know in the state of Louisiana one can only be homestead exempted on one property "NOT" multiple properties. So if Mr. Jackson does have it on multiple homes it sures sounds like The Good Old Boy system Does prevail in this state. That or he owes the state some money.
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I don't have a dog in this fight since I live in EBR but Joe does raise a good question. Is it legal to file homestead exemption for multiple properties or is homestead exemption just for your primary residence? I don't know the answer to that questions but am interested since I am buying a waterfront home to use as a camp. It sure would be nice if Ican get a homestead exemption on that property as well. If you can't file two expemptions than I think someone owes one of the parishes some money.
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He may have gotten away with it because it being two different parishes, our government is dysfunctional! Per La. Dept. of Revenue web site, In order to qualify for homestead exemption, one must own and occupy the house as his/her primary residence. Regardless of how many houses are owned, no one is entitled to more than one homestead exemption.
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Typical Louisiana. Hey, did anyone notice that the advocate did not allow comments on the story about senator Dorseys, what some people think, racial statements about the governor. No matter what you think of him, had he are any other senator said something like that about Dorsey, who is black, the a world would have come to a end. Just shows why nothing gets done ,even this paper is afraid to print anything negative about anyone who is not white. Before all the PC respond, I am not racist, just observant..Just wonder why no comments were allowed
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