Friday’s LegisGator, a SWLA Economic Development Alliance annual event, gave state department heads and elected officials an opportunity to report on their accomplishments after eight months.

State Treasurer John C. Fleming started with some impressive numbers. The state has made $450 million in investment dollars.

“It’s a record,” he said. “We’ve never come close to that before.”

The bond rate has been upgraded from negative AA to AA.

“Why should you care?” he asked the crowd of around 1,000 guests.  “Remember, we have about $9 billion dollars of debt in our state, some related to our pension and retirement systems. A credit score is really what that is, and with a better credit score, we get better terms.”

When Fleming’s department noticed the state was being charged as much as $550,000 for an affordable single housing unit, they got busy implementing a new system to help contain costs. Detractors say his decision will result in fewer units for affordable housing. He said better deals means more money for more affordable housing.

In March, the Treasury Department will go live with a transparency website that will allow constituents to see “on a molecular level,” what is happening in schools, public traditional and public charter schools, which he said will dovetail nicely with School Choice.

About the heat he’s getting for his pushback against Bank of America who is looking to do business with Louisiana, he said the bank discriminates against people across America who want Second Amendment Rights  (to keep and bear arms) and people involved in Christian organizations.

“We’re going to stand up against them,” he said. “We do not believe we should politicize the state’s financial system. He promised he would not use the system to advance his conservative and Christian values.

Attorney General Liz Murrill

Attorney General Liz Murrill led her report with making good on her commitment to reduce crime, especially in New Orleans where she said Troop NOLA has reduced crimes about 30 percent.

She has filed 40 lawsuits against the Biden administration for its “flawed energy policy,” she said, beginning with her fight for the LNG pause.

 “We are grateful to get an injunction from Judge Cain,” she said. “We have the best federal judge in the entire country right here in the Western District of Louisiana. He didn’t do anything except apply the law as it is written.”

Murrill said she is also proud of the state’s work against the federal government to keep it from offering women who have abortions the same rights after terminating a pregnancy as women who do not.

“Every suit we have launched in the last eight months, we have won,” she said.

Secretary of State Nancy Landry

Nancy Landry, Secretary of State, is not satisfied with being in the top  10 in the nation for election integrity. She wants to be #1.

“We are working to close loopholes in our election integrity laws and anti-ballot harvesting  laws,” she said, “cleaning up voter rolls and establishing uniformity in tabulation of ballots across the state.”

Jeff Landry was not able to attend the event. Deputy Chief of Staff Kyle Ardoin spoke on his behalf.

“We have a governor who is paying attention. We have a governor who is focusing on details. We have a governor who has brought a closing financial deal together to bring the Imperial Calcasieu Region a new bridge for economic development for our state.”

Ardoin said he has been in many meetings with Landry that get the right people in the same room to problem solve. Ardoin said he had only one meeting with the former governor, and working under Sec. of State Schedler, he had only one meeting with former governor Jindal.

It’s a new day in Louisiana, a new government in Louisiana and new opportunities,” he said.

Soon, it will be a new day for the SWLA Economic Development Alliance. George Swift, CEO and president for the past 20 years is set to retire.

Congressman Clay Higgins, U.S. Representative for 3rd District,  used much of the time allotted for his remarks to express his appreciation to Swift.

“He would help me and guide me through issue after issue and help me learn….” Higgins said.

The Chamber Board has announced the selection of a national search firm to conduct a search for the next CEO.

Recognizing Achievements

The Chairs Award (for committee chairs championing legislation reform) went to Senator Beth Mizell, District 12 and Representative Daryl Deshotel, District 28. Public Policy Award went to Senator Mark Abraham, District 25, for his work in helping assure that a percentage of tolls collected on the new Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge remain here in Southwest Louisiana.   Representative Brach Myers, District 45, was named Rising Star and U.S. Speaker of the House  and Rep. for Louisiana’s 4rth Congressional District Mike Johnson was named 2024 LegisGator of the Year.