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We urge our readers to use these endorsements as a guide to assist you in making your decisions in the upcoming election. We urge you to take time to conduct their own research into the backgrounds, records and positions of each candidate before making your final decision.

POLITICAL RACES

U.S. Senate Race
U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu

U.S. 2nd Congressional District
U.S. Rep Cedric Richmond

Criminal District Court Section D
No Endorsement

Criminal District Court Section G
Paul Sens or Byron Williams

Civil District Court Section E
Lloyd Medley or Nakisha Ervin-Knott

Civil District Court Section F
Chris Bruno

Civil District Court Domestic Section 1
Bernadette D’Souza

Civil District Court Domestic Section 2
Monique Barial

Juvenile Court Section E
Ernest Charbonnet or Desiree Cook-Calvin or Yolanda King

The New Orleans Tribune Has Reviewed Select Constitutional Amendments along with Ballot Items and Charter Change Proposals for New Orleans and Offers the Following Recommendations

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

CA NO. 1 Medical

Assistance Trust Fund 

This amendment would protect the Louisiana Medical Assistance Trust and set a baseline compensation rate for nursing homes and certain other healthcare providers that pay a provider fee

AGAINST

CA NO. 2 Hospital

Stabilization Fund 

This amendment allows an assessment on hospitals to draw down more deferral Medicaid dollars for the institutions and create a Hospital Stabilization Fund

AGAINST

CA NO. 3 Tax Sale

This constitutional amendment would allow local governments to hire private collection firms to assist  collect delinquent taxes and assist in tax sale process.

AGAINST

CA NO. 4 Investment of Public Funds

This amendment would allow the state treasure to invest public funds into a Louisiana Transportation Infrastructure Bank, in the event such a bank is created

AGAINST

CA NO. 5 Remove Mandatory Retirement Age of Judges

The amendment would eliminate the mandatory retirement age, which is 70, for judges.

AGAINST

CA NO. 6 Fire and Police Protection Orleans Parish

This amendment would raise the Orleans Parish special millage caps for police and fire protection from five mils to 10 mils, giving the New Orleans City Council the authority to levy additional mils with voter approval.
AGAINST

CA NO. 7 Disabled Veterans

This amendment would give a bonus homestead exemption to veterans rated with 100 percent employability in parishes where a similar tax break has been approved by voters.

FOR

CA NO. 8 Artificial Reef Development Fund 

This amendment would establish the Artificial Reef Development Fund in the Constitution and prohibit the use of its money for purposes other than those outlined in the amendment.

AGAINST

CA NO. 9 – Special Assessment Level – Disabled

This amendment would eliminate the requirement that homeowners under the age of 65 who are permanently disabled must certify every year that there income meets the threshold for an assessment freeze.

FOR

CA NO. 10 Redemption Period, Abandoned Property 

This amendment would require parishes (except for Orleans, where the redemption period is already 18 months) to shorten the redemption period for vacant blighted or abandoned property sold at tax sale from three years to 18 months after the sale has been recorded.

AGAINST

CA NO. 11 Executive Branch Departments

This amendment would allow the state government to increase its number of executive departments from 20 to 21, effectively creating the Department of Elderly Affairs.
FOR

CA NO. 12 Wildlife and Fisheries Commission 

This amendment would change the membership of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to require that two at-large members come from parishes north of the line created by Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline and Pointe Coupee parishes

AGAINST

CA NO. 13 Lower Ninth Ward Property Sale

This amendment would create an exemption allowing the sale of property in the Lower Ninth Ward at a substantially lower rate than fair market value. Companion legislation would require the city to sell all of the vacant lots acquired through the Road Home program by January 1, 2015.

AGAINST

CA NO. 14 Tax Rebates Incentives and Abatements

This amendment would prohibit the introduction of legislation related to tax rebates, tax incentives or tax abatements in even-numbered years when the Legislature holds a general session and specifically allow such legislation in odd-numbered years during fiscal sessions.

FOR

ORLEANS PARISH PROPOSITIONS

PW Law Enf. Dist. – 2.9 Mills – Sheriff – 10 Yrs.

Shall the Law Enforcement District of the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana (the “District”), levy a special tax of not exceeding 2.9 mills on all property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $9,073,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2015 and ending with the year 2024, with said millage levied each year to be reduced by the millage rate levied that year for the District’s currently outstanding General Obligation Bonds, for the purpose of providing additional funding for the District and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, including the operation, maintenance and upkeep of jails and related facilities?

YES

PW HRC CA NO. Sec. 3 – CC – Sec. 3-102 & 4-201 

Effective June 1, 2018, this proposition will change the inauguration date for New Orleans mayor and City Council members to second Monday in January next following their election except that a councilmember elected to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the remainder of the unexpired term.

YES

PW HRC CA NO. Sec. 6 – CC – Sec. 6-308(1) & 6-308(5)(b)  (Select 1)

This proposition will amend the City Charter with regard to contracts for professional services by requiring use of a three-person selection committee composed of  city government employees with expertise in the contract area; allowing the Mayor to authorize exceptions to that process in cases of emergencies that pose a threat to public health, safety, and welfare, as authorized by law; requiring that the City establish, maintain a disadvantaged business enterprises program; and designating the Chief Administrative Officer instead of the Director of Finance to sign such contracts on the City’s behalf in the mayor’s absence

NO

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