New Orleans city councilman Oliver Thomas says Governor Jeff Landry and his administration need to focus on improving the state instead of focusing on taking over the Crescent City.
During Tuesday's city council budget hearings, Thomas ranted against Landry during a discussion about funding for juvenile programs, noting the funding cuts to those programs could undo progress the city has made in reducing violent crime. Thomas's comments also came hours after Landry announced he would press the Louisiana Bond Commission to deny the city council's request for a $125 million loan to help cover payroll and other expenses through the remainder of the year.
"This administration and the state don't want to work with the city. They want this city," Thomas said, hinting at race being a possible factor in the Landry Administration's motivations. "They tried it when Dutch was elected. No one read the papers in the UNO Library about what the state tried to do when Dutch Morial became mayor (in 1978)? No one read when the business community partnered with the state when we started having African Americans get elected judges that judges shouldn't be elected (and that) it should be merit selection? No one read the old reports that talked about the pumping station (and) how they would rather give another parish coverage over a pumping station that we build and they pay us? No one read the reports about the Sewerage and Water Board? This is nothing new."
Thomas then outlined a list of problems the state government is facing.
"The state of Louisiana is so wonderful that it's 50th in crime and corrections, 50th in economy, 44th in healthcare, 46th in education, 46th in fiscal stability, 48th in infrastructure, 49th in environment, and 46th in opportunity," Thomas said. "Maybe if the state focused on fixing the state, they wouldn't be last or damn-near last in so many critical areas. How can you take over a city when you can't fix y'all sh... stuff. We let them get away with that."
Thomas closed by telling the state government to buzz off.
"We need to be telling them to mind their damn business (and) go fix the state," Thomas said. "Then maybe we'll believe you can help us fix something else. How is a state that's last going to fix a city that's first in tradition, culture, per capita tourism, (and) money generated? Man, this is some bull!"
WWL reached out to Governor Jeff Landry's spokesperson for comment.
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