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.
Currency
A series exploring the highs and lows of Lafayette’s economy, providing critical commentary about what’s working and what’s not.
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
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
Geoff Daily: Josh Guillory is spreading disinformation about consolidation
Rather than contribute constructively to the important community dialog about the future of consolidated government, Guillory chose to pollute the waters by twisting the truth to fit his preferred narrative. The city and parish of Lafayette deserve better.
11 min read
COLUMN: Why deconsolidation matters
Discussions around deconsolidating Lafayette Consolidated Government aren’t just the academic musings of the chattering class. They’re about making local government more responsive to its citizens.
8 min read
COLUMN: How Lafayette can pivot from oil and gas with what it already has
A generational challenge has no easy solutions. But there are opportunities to pivot using what we already have at our disposal.
7 min read
COLUMN: Replacing lost oil jobs is a generational challenge for Lafayette
Few will admit it out loud: What has been Lafayette’s most important economic sector will likely never recover the ground it lost.
7 min read
COLUMN: Passing a local mask mandate will help Lafayette’s businesses
Lost in the rancor is consideration of the positive impact that a mask mandate will have on Lafayette’s businesses.
6 min read
Analysis: Lafayette wages trail cost of living
This is problematic for two reasons. One, it suggests that people in our community really are having trouble making ends meet. Two, it harms our economic competitiveness as it relates to being able to retain our best and brightest.
3 min read
COLUMN: Will dysfunction continue to define LCG in 2021?
There’s a Cold War between the mayor-president and the City Council that could flare up at any time. The city faces a slew of controversial issues, while the parish’s finances continue to teeter on the brink of collapse, and consolidation is put on trial. These are the major stories I’ll be tracking at LCG this year.
8 min read
Lafayette residents have lost more income than they did in the 1980s
You often hear that as bad as the economy is now, at least it’s not as bad as the 1980s. But in terms of impact on personal income, new data shows that it’s actually worse.
6 min read
COLUMN: The parish needs to raise taxes (don’t shoot the messenger)
Every part of parish government is underfunded. And there’s no way to fix it without raising taxes.
6 min read