Parish president forum sees challenge critical of incumbent
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – When the matchup was set for the parish president election on Oct. 14 between Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer and incumbent Mike Cooper, most political observers expected that at some point things would get heated up with the dialogue coming from the challenger.
After the second public forum for the parish president election was hosted by the East St. Tammany Business Alliance, those expectations certainly came true as Cromer went on the attack against Cooper, following a rather calm, uneventful initial forum held two weeks earlier by the St. Tammany Chamber.
Cromer had strong criticism of Cooper on several fronts.
He questioned why Cooper has had so many differences with the Parish Council during his first three years in office; called Cooper “disrespectful” to one council member during a debate; questioned Cooper’s lack of communication with the district attorney, coroner and council members on key issues; and accused Cooper’s revenue committee of ignoring any other way to replace revenue from two lost sales tax defeats with nothing but another millage request.
Cooper had a response for everything Cromer threw his way, and for the second forum in a row, highlighted a record total of infrastructure investment he has brought about for the parish during his first three years. Cooper pointed out over $73 million for infrastructure work during his administration and stated his efforts to begin comprehensive planning for the parish.
“In three-and-a-half years we’ve shown our dedication to improving the infrastructure in the parish, clearing canals, and providing money for flood protection. There has never been anything close to that before,” he stated.
Cromer capsulized his criticism of Cooper on various issues as a lack of leadership, and noted his four-plus years as Slidell’s mayor where he had no real critics.
“We can do better in St. Tammany with new leadership and in my time as mayor of Slidell I have proven to be the leader this parish needs. You can’t mandate leadership; you have to earn it by actions and we have done that in Slidell. We can definitely scale that to the parish and bring about a lot of positive change if I am the next parish president,” he added.
The questioning from moderator David Kiviaho immediately went to the differences Cooper had with the Parish Council. He asked how the next parish president will build a good working relationship with the council, which has had its problems under Cooper, so much so that the Parish Council recently voted to investigate the parish president for a particular questioned apartment development.
Cooper immediately said he was “pleased to see five incumbents deciding not to run,” and added, “yes, we’ve had disagreements if they were against what I was trying to do, but that tells me I must be doing something right.”
Cromer didn’t see it that way.
“The fact is, when 14 people disagree with you then somebody’s wrong and in my view, it did not mean Mr. Cooper was right. Arguing and bickering is not getting us anywhere and it shows disrespect,” he said.
Cromer then pointed out that during the discussion between Cooper and Council Member David Fitzgerald, who represented the district where the apartments were to be built, “I saw you hold up your hand to Mr. Fitzmorris and turn your back to him, essentially saying, ‘talk to the hand.’”
Under Cooper’s leadership there have been several lawsuits from departments against the parish, including a pending suit between the district attorney and the parish, as well as a previous suit from the coroner, both being differences involving money.
To his credit, Cooper has had to guide the parish during a challenging financial time after two sales tax renewals were defeated on five different occasions, leaving the parish with $24 million a year less in their coffers.
But Cromer still questioned why Cooper tried the sales tax a fourth time, and then failed to talk to Coroner Dr. Charles Preston before a millage renewal that was defeated. Cooper publicly opposed the renewal since Preston had not sought a lower amount.
“After three defeats, you came back with the same tax, then never talked to the coroner about his millage. That’s a lack of partnering in government,” Cromer said.
Cooper responded by saying, “it was impossible to have that conversation due to the lawsuit.”
In the early stages of the Cooper administration, he called a revenue review committee together to seek other ways to replace the $24 million. Cromer was one of those appointees, but said the group only wanted to try another tax without trying to find other ways.
“The key to fixing our budget problem at the parish level is to go to the public and ask to re-align all the dedicated millages, but that was never supported in the committee,” Cromer said. “It’s a lack of leadership that allowed that to turn into another vote for more taxes.”
Cooper agreed that restructuring the tax situation for the parish needs to be done, however, that has not been attempted in the parish to date.
Both men were asked their feelings about the controversial library book situation in St. Tammany, where sexually explicit books and other materials are on the shelves at the 12 branches, all available to children with no parental approval needed to walk into a library and view them.
Both candidates stated their support for a restricted section in the library, something many in the parish want, but the Library Board and Director Kelly LaRocca continually refuse to allow. As of Monday night, at the latest board meeting, the board voted to put the 17th consecutive challenged book back on the shelves, out of over 200 that have been challenged.
While some Parish Council members also support a restricted section, Cooper said he doesn’t see a way the Library Board can be forced to do it since, “they are an appointed board, and they are the ones making the decisions.”
Cromer said that if he was elected the first thing he would do is to hold a “government summit” with business leaders, public officials and residents all meeting for “days, weeks or months if necessary to figure out the best way to solve our money problems and set a course for the future.”
Cooper closed the forum by stating, “in my time leading this administration we’ve built a culture with the staff after I took over a staff of demoralized employees. Now, they are happy to come to work.”
Early voting for the Oct. 14 election will be held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 7.