Legislative leaders steer sizable state dollars to home parish

Photo courtesy DepositPhotos

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office and jail would receive $21.6 million directly from the state over the next year under the budget proposal currently working its way through the legislative process. That’s almost half of the $43.1 million allocated to individual Louisiana sheriffs and parish jails combined in the spending proposal.

Legislators jockey for dollars for their communities – particularly construction project funding – over several months leading up to the annual state budget’s approval in June. The money is expected to be spread out across the state, especially this year, when Louisiana has hundreds of millions in extra cash to give out for local needs.

But Lafayette Parish has an advantage over nearly every other community. It has a larger number of representatives and senators in the legislative leadership positions, which gives it more leverage over Louisiana’s finances.

In the House, Rep. Stuart Bishop, R-Lafayette, oversees the state’s annual construction budget as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Vincent Pierre, of Lafayette, is also chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, and one of the highest-ranking Democrats in the Legislature.

In the Senate, Republican President Page Cortez, considered the most powerful lawmaker in the Capitol, and Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman Gerald Boudreaux also hail from Lafayette.

Only 13 other sheriffs and parish jails have direct allocations in the current spending plan, and only two, Lafayette and Livingston Parish, are getting more than $3 million.

The Livingston sheriff has been allocated $12 million, second largest behind Lafayette Parish. Another powerful legislative leader, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, represents that parish.

How the money will be spent

Most of the Lafayette sheriff and jail money can be found in the state construction budget proposal. Lafayette Parish government is expected to receive $8.75 million for the design, planning and construction of a new parish jail in that plan.

About a third of all of that Lafayette funding — $7.1 million — will require the state to borrow money and needs approval of the Louisiana State Bond Commission. The remaining two-thirds of those Lafayette allocations — $14.5 million — would come from a state saving account and other cash resources, the most desirable type of funding to receive because it involves the fewest hurdles.

The state construction bill also indicates the Lafayette sheriff and jail may get more state money in the future. While it hasn’t been allocated yet, the legislation signals the state is prepared to give an additional $46.5 million for the new law enforcement center and $17.5 million to the new Lafayette jail project in the cycles to come.

Bishop, who is leaving his legislative office this year, said getting money to relocate and build a new Lafayette jail is a prime concern for the parish’s entire legislative delegation.

The current Lafayette jail is undersized and in deplorable condition, he said. It’s also an eyesore in the middle of downtown Lafayette and is considered a barrier to the area’s revitalization.

“The jail is completely outdated and it’s a top priority,” Bishop said.

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