Some controversial items are up for consideration this week, like declaring a new Willow Street jail a public necessity and calling a charter commission to examine further changes to Lafayette’s home rule charter.
Geoff Daily
Geoff Daily created FiberCorps and helped launch the Lafayette General Foundation. He now works as a launch strategist.
OPINION: Guillory’s first proposed budget was too bearish, his second is too bullish
Projecting historically big increases in sales tax revenue, he is championing a quarter billion dollar increase in the city’s five-year capital outlay plan, including $132 million of new debt.
6 min read
OPINION: Lafayette’s councils should reject Guillory’s proposed Rescue Plan budget and start over
The lack of engagement might be forgivable if the proposal was amazing, but it’s not. We need to start over from scratch.
6 min read
7/20 Council Preview: Introducing budgets, building a new jail and redeveloping the Oil Center
Up for votes and discussion are a host of issues, including next year’s budget, how to spend the $83.5 million of fiscal recovery money, taking first steps to build a new jail, rezoning the Oil Center, investing $1 million in parks, and more.
7 min read
OPINION: The City and Parish councils need marriage counseling
The marriage that is consolidated government is crumbling before our eyes, with both the City and Parish Councils failing to follow the fundamentals of healthy relationships. Something’s got to change.
7 min read
7/6 Council Preview: City Parish Alignment committee; restoring funds for AcA and Festival International; appropriating parish ARPA funds
Here’s a selection of items on the agendas for this week’s meetings of the City and Parish councils.
7 min read
OPINION: Lafayette has an $83 million opportunity. Let’s not screw this up.
The American Rescue Plan Act is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make our community better, one we can’t afford to waste.
11 min read
6/15 Council Preview: Lafayette gets proud, restores cultural funding, plus more drainage talk and new rules for litter, dumping and development
The City and Parish Councils meet tomorrow with agendas covering a lot of ground, from cultural funding to changes to the development code to Pride Month to reports on LCG’s finances and the Louisiana Watershed Initiative.
6 min read
OPINION: Consolidated government is letting everyone down
Most of the Protect the City Committee’s attention has been focused on how consolidation isn’t working for the city. But consolidation is hurting not just the city but the rest of the parish as well.
4 min read
OPINION: What has consolidation cost the city of Lafayette? More than $100M in opportunity.
Since consolidation, the city of Lafayette has spent more than $100 million propping up the parish’s perpetually faltering finances. $100 million can buy a lot of opportunity.
9 min read
5/18 Council Preview: More tax abatements, more drainage projects, and more police protests
On the docket for Tuesday night’s council meetings are approval for more drainage projects, a request to increase the LUS Fiber director’s salary, a report on police training, a request for another restoration tax abatement, and more.
5 min read
Opinion: The City Council has lost control over LUS and LUS Fiber
The past and current mayor-president have used loopholes to appoint unqualified directors for LUS and LUS Fiber without the City Council’s approval.
8 min read