The Gubernatorial Primary is October 14, and early voting is already underway.
To see what's on your ballot, click here.
We've sent out questions to all of the candidates in some of Acadiana's hottest races, and we're posting the questions and each candidate's responses online so our viewers can get some information about the people who are asking for their vote.
We sent the questions to each candidate using the email address they provided to the Secretary of State when they qualified for the race. If we didn't hear back by the deadline we provided, we called them using the telephone number they provided to the Secretary of State when they qualified for the race.
If we receive any responses after this story is posted, we will update it when we do.
We've sent out questions to every candidate running for every seat on the Lafayette City Council and Lafayette Parish Council. District 3 Lafayette City Council Member Liz Hebert and Parish Council Members Bryan Tabor (District 1) and John Guilbeau (District 4) were all re-elected without opposition.
In the District 5 race on the Lafayette City Council, Glenn Lazard decided not to run again. Running in the race are Kenneth Boudreaux and Nureaka Ross
Here are the questions (in italics) we asked, followed by the full response received from each candidate.
KENNETH BOUDREAUX
We reached out to Boudreaux, but, to date, have not received a response.
NUREAKA ROSS
Please give us a brief summary of your qualifications for this position.
First and foremost, I am a mother of two beautiful children who inspire my
efforts to help make Lafayette better. Secondly, I am a veteran of the United
States Army that served Active Duty as a Geospatial Intelligence Imagery
Analyst. Aerial Sensor Operator on the Fixed Wing MC-12, which gave me the
experience to know how to live a life of service and how to execute effectively within a team environment. Thirdly, I am a community advocate who has been fighting for the Northside since I moved back to my hometown in 2019 after being medically retired from the line of duty. Finally, I am a young person who
is inspired to find ways to get more young people involved in their local
government. Together these experiences have prepared me to represent the people of my district fairly, capably, and honestly.
Why do you want to be a member of the council?
I believe that the Lafayette City Council needs new ideas and a fresh
perspective. One that prioritizes the needs of young people, who I believe are essential to the future of our community. I have two young kids who live here and I am committed to doing everything I can to make this place better for them to grow up in. I’ve lived in different cities and seen the possibilities of what’s out there. There’s just so much more that Lafayette could be doing. I want to bring some of this energy here.
What do you believe is the single biggest challenge facing the City Council?
I personally think the biggest challenge we face is everybody worrying about their own stakeholders and forgetting about the little man. I was once a poor black child growing up on the Northside. I know what it’s like to be on the bottom of the totem pole. I believe that we need to start working together to focus on helping those in need, regardless of what district they live in. But we can only do that if we put the common good first.
What is your position regarding the use of city funds to cover parish needs?
My perspective is that city funds should only be spent on projects that benefit the city of Lafayette. For too long the city’s interests have not been taken seriously enough. We have taken the city for granted in the effort to prop up the finances of parish government. The city of Lafayette is the economic engine of the parish of Lafayette and the entire Acadiana region. We need to double down on our efforts to grow the city, develop the Northside, and create opportunities for young people to build their lives here.
Would you try to implement any changes if elected? If so, what would they be?
When I had concerns about my community, I did not know who to turn to. Too often, I did not feel like I was heard. I believe that we need to change how the City Council operates to provide safe outlets to hear from young people. Way too often politicians try to do things to appeal to a certain demographic, but they fail to realize how their decisions impact young people. I believe that not only can we change that, but the future of Lafayette demands that we do.
For the past four years, the administration's drainage program has drawn lawsuits and criminal investigations. The administration has not freely provided responses to council members about it. What is your position about this situation?
If I think about this from a military standpoint, when I hear about all these lawsuits, what I think about is how all that money is being wasted that could be used on other things. We need to prioritize spending money on projects that benefit our community rather than wasting it on lawyers. Also, when it comes to the administration providing responses, Lafayette’s charter requires the
mayor-president to produce any reports requested by the City Council or Parish Council. I believe that this is their duty that they have to fulfill. Finally, I believe that it’s important that every tax dollar we spend is done so in a way that maximizes its impact and can be backed up by proof that it will impact our community in positive ways. I apply that philosophy to drainage and all other aspects of local government.
