Geoff Daily – Page 13

May 4, 2020

Council Preview: Taxing districts go to executive session, applying for grants, more board splits

City Council members and the administration will go into executive session Tuesday to discuss the administration’s “legal strategy” for backing away from a lawsuit filed to stop several special taxing districts. The mayor-president and some council members are at odds over the issue. Less controversial decisions will be made on applying for millions in grants and continuing the process of splitting control of boards between the city and parish councils.

News + Notes

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April 23, 2020

Coronavirus is bringing Lafayette’s budget problems to a head, and it’s going to be ugly

Even if the coronavirus wasn’t causing a global depression, Lafayette’s city and parish general funds would be in rough shape. But now shortfalls in revenue are going to force some painful cuts.

News + Notes

April 21, 2020

COLUMN: Don’t rededicate CREATE to restricted uses. We need that money in the general fund.

At a time of incredible economic and financial uncertainty, the parish council can’t afford to rededicate CREATE’s millage to any other dedicated fund. Instead what’s needed is flexibility to navigate an uncertain future, which is why this millage should be redirected to the parish general fund.

News + Notes

April 20, 2020

Council Preview: Rededicating CREATE, refinancing bonds, re-litigating taxing districts, reorganizing boards and more

Lafayette’s city and parish councils are back in session Tuesday with jam-packed agendas that include refinancing hundreds of millions in bonds, reorganizing more than a dozen boards and commissions, rededicating the CREATE millage, and more.

News + Notes

April 13, 2020

Lafayette job market among the nation’s most at risk

Projections by the St Louis Federal Reserve Bank rank the Lafayette metro area as having the 20th highest percentage of jobs at high risk of unemployment due to the coronavirus out of the 150 largest metro areas in the country.

Business + Innovation

April 8, 2020

Coronavirus stimulus not enough to save Lafayette’s oil and gas industry

Lafayette’s oil and gas industry is facing existential challenges that far outstrip the short-term subsidies being offered by the federal government’s coronavirus stimulus package.

News + Notes

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April 6, 2020

Worst-case scenario projections show Lafayette metro area losing 60,000 jobs during pandemic

Projections from local and national analysts warn that unemployment could hit 30% or more in the coming months due to the coronavirus. Lafayette is especially vulnerable because of the fall of oil and gas. Tens of thousands could be out of work by summertime.

News + Notes

April 3, 2020

Survey highlights initial impact of COVID-19 on Acadiana businesses

Of roughly 1,000 local businesses surveyed between March 19 and March 25, 91% expected revenue to decline.

Business + Innovation

April 1, 2020

How you can help Lafayette’s economy

The challenges facing Lafayette’s economy may seem overwhelming but you can help right the ship by spending money or making it, and that means more than just shopping local.

News + Notes

March 16, 2020

Lafayette’s servers and bartenders face major losses

In an effort to help fight community spread of the coronavirus, Gov. John Bel Edwards ordered the closure of all bars statewide and the closure of all dining rooms in restaurants until April 13. Restaurants can still serve takeout and drive-through (so please do what you can to support our local establishments), but these changes create major challenges to our area’s servers and bartenders.

News + Notes

March 11, 2020

Oil falls, coronavirus arrives, economic turmoil for Lafayette ahead

On Monday, the price of oil had its greatest one-day plunge ever, and coronavirus officially arrived in Louisiana. These developments pose threats the Lafayette economy is particularly vulnerable to.

Business + Innovation

March 4, 2020

COLUMN: Fiber’s fragile finances

Since launching 2008, LUS Fiber has missed its financial projections by $70 million. That puts it in a vulnerable position.