New Orleans City Council Vice President J.P. Morrell says he's not confident that a constitutional convention will result in a document that is good for Louisiana voters.
"What people don't understand is there are a lot of things that are in the constitution for a reason," Morrell said. And he told WWL's Newell Normand that the idea of doing a "limited" constitutional convention in a matter of weeks does not ring true.
"There's no such thing as a constitutional convention with rails," said Morrell. "Once you open it up, what you allow is a tremendous amount of potential of special interests to really go in and really move things around very substantially."
Morrell said the current constitution gives a lot of power to municipalities and parishes, and he worries this legislature and governor may try to concentrate power in Baton Rouge.
"Government that governs closest is usually what government that governs best," said Morrell.
The current Louisiana constitution was created over more than a year, with input from voter-selected delegates. The proposed constitutional convention would be held over a matter of weeks, among lawmakers and a group of delegates selected by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. It would be put on the ballot this fall.
Newell also sounded skeptical.
"I believe it's one of those defining moments, and I can tell you it will dictate who I vote for next time," said Newell. "If my local legislators vote for this to move forward in the fashion that they proposed today, I will not vote for that person. not again, not ever. That's how strongly I feel."