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.
Lafayette General Health confirmed today that is working with Vitalant, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit community blood service providers, on collecting convalescent plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 as part of a program to treat patients infected with the virus.
African Americans account for 39% of coronavirus deaths in the state’s seven-parish health region but only 27% of the population.
Despite a surge of re-openings under the local “Safe Shop” policy, some Lafayette retailers are opting to keep their doors closed for now
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.
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.
New clarity to state guidelines that had shuttered hundreds of Lafayette businesses for weeks has already sprung open local shops, in effect beginning the first local thaw on commerce. But officials remain stark in their warnings to heed state orders to stay home and stay safe, sending a mixed message about the state of urgency.
Calling it his “safe shop policy,” Guillory said the guidance is needed to address the deluge of unemployment claims filed in recent weeks.
Populated with so many of Lafayette’s musicians, artists, cooks, bartenders and gig workers inexorably tied to the local cultural economy, routine life in Lafayette’s Freetown neighborhood is upended.
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