Dec 11: Orleans Parish Candidates & Propositions
Presented here are recommendations solely based on the mission and values of BTTT that do not further perpetuate the harm and disenfranchisement of our communities. As always we encourage you to make the decision that best serves you and your beliefs.
Election Day is December 11, 2021
Our Picks
Sheriff: Susan Hutson
Susan has a proven track record in achieving promising outcomes. She wants to end all voluntary ICE sweeps, supports gender confirming housing for all inmates, something her opponents have dragged their feet on. She also aims to reform substandard prison medical care, addressing both mental and physical health. Lastly, she aims to end taxing inmates and families for phone calls, parking and commissary - long overdue!
Clerk of Criminal District Court, Orleans Parish: Darren Lombard
In Orleans Parish the Clerk of Criminal District Court is the Chief Elections Officer. This position qualifies candidates for office in all municipal, parish, and state legislative elections. Given their proximity to elections we would be amiss to not seriously take into account a candidate's policy positions.
Darren Lombard is the current clerk of 2nd City Court and previously worked as deputy clerk in Orleans Criminal District Clerk’s office under Morrell. His responses to the Voters Organized to Educate survey were thoughtful and indicate a willingness to take Covid19 into consideration for new policy development such as a moratorium on collections of fees and fines.
We cannot endorse or recommend his opponent Austin Badon for the following reasons:
House Bill 1274, sponsored by state Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, was similar to a Texas law that banned medical officials from cutting off life-support to a pregnant woman [1].
Badon voted Yes on HB 388 "Requiring Abortion Providers to have Hospital Admitting Privileges" [2] (which is a TRAP law), and voted Yes on HB 25, a law which requires pregnant persons to be informed about fetal pain and offer the option to anesthetize the fetus[3]. Actual scientists say the fetus doesn't develop neurological structure to feel pain until 29- 30 weeks and there is no such thing as "fetal anesthesia" in standard medical practice [4,5].
Badon skipped the vote on HB 705, which would require employers in Louisiana to pay all workers with similar education, qualifications, and job tasks equally without discrimination based on gender [6].
Essentially, Badon’s philosophy on life doesn’t match anything that we stand for and in our opinion should be as far away from a position of power as possible.
Links:
[3] https://justfacts.votesmart.org/bill/4480/14093/35410/abortion-information-requirements#14093
[4] https://www.vox.com/2016/3/30/11331414/utah-abortion-anesthesia-doctors-dumbfounded
[5] https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/29/health/utah-abortion-law-fetal-pain/index.html
[6] https://justfacts.votesmart.org/bill/9474/25842/35410/equal-pay-for-women#25842
District B:
Lesli Harris #41
We can't deny that during the pandemic Jay Banks has held numerous community outreach events and Covid vaccination events. His work on passing the Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Policy to incentivize and require that new developments include affordable housing units is a step in the right direction for housing affordability;however we'd be remiss to not comment on how quiet he's been regarding holding Entergy and city contractors accountable.
We like the specific steps Lesli Harris makes regarding affordable clean energy services such as: Oppose All Efforts to Pass Along Costs of Post-Hurricane Ida Power Restoration to Customers; require Entergy to amplify green energy efforts; Hold Entergy Accountable for its Failures; implement and the recently approved Renewable and Clean Portfolio Standard (100% clean energy by 2040); and advance community solar projects. In addition to her commitment to write legislation that prohibits City Council members and candidates from accepting political contributions from city-regulated utility firms like Entergy New Orleans and Cox Communications.
We also agreed with Lesli Harris’ positions regarding affordable housing at the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center debate and we appreciate her stance to hold city trash contractors accountable for breaching their contracts and support hoppers' demands for a living wage and PPE. We however don't fully support the increase of cops to address violent crime so we'd need to hold her accountable to ensure investment and implementation of proactive community approaches to resolving crime.
We need people in office who will fight for us in all aspects and so the edge goes to Lesli Harris.
District D:
Troy Glover #56
With a proven track record in community leadership and change, Troy presented as the more experienced candidate with a deep understanding of the districts concerns. He prioritizes, police reform, affordable housing, equitable wages and affordable early childhood education.
Orleans Parish Propositions
Public Library Funding Renewal (4 Mills)
This proposition would reauthorize the library system’s dedicated tax that voters approved in 1986. The proposition would allow a maximum rate of 4 mills. Library officials have requested only 2.58 mills for operations in 2022, but the City Council will decide what portion of the maximum rate to levy each year.
This one is a no-brainer for us. This would ensure a fully funded library at current expense requirements and allow for future growth. We’re voting Yes and we hope you’ll join us.
Neighborhood Housing (0.91 Mills)
The proposed 0.91-mill, 20-year housing tax would continue the existing tax (which the City currently levies at the same rate). The Housing Fund currently addresses expanding home ownership, remediating blight, and affordable rental housing.
Voter approval of this proposal however would send all revenue to the Housing Fund. This is a major departure from the existing tax, which allows the City to use revenue from the Housing Fund towards economic development as the City chooses.
We appreciate the changes to the fund’s structure that prevents the money from being distributed to other funds and makes it exclusive to addressing housing affordability. It would be great if went towards relocating the residents of Gordon Plaza ASAP.
