I am proud to serve on the I-49 Task Force, that is dedicated to a central lifeline for South Louisiana.The project was originally scheduled for completion by 2010. So, what happened? The simple answer is that politics got in the way.
The I-49 project is critical to Louisiana's economic development, because it is truly the "energy highway" and is a key part of economic growth for our entire state. The I-49 corridor supplies the rest of the country with energy products from Louisiana and the surrounding area; this highway is a crucial part of our economic viability. The completion of I-49 as a limited-access highway will contribute substantially to economic development, but the most important result will be the lives it will save. I will make the timely completion of the project a priority, and I will enlist the help of others in accomplishing this goal.
Too often, initiatives called "economic development" are just more spending and more intrusive government. The hard-working taxpayers of this state, struggling to provide for their own families, put the dollars in the Louisiana Treasury; but these taxpayers are always considered last when a new multi-million dollar "economic development" project is introduced that calls for higher taxes and more bureaucracy. This "economic development" is not real, and it does not work.
True economic development, the kind that will create good job, means providing business incentives to those who can create the jobs, eliminating red tape and bureaucracy, granting tax credits to employers, and getting out of the way of entrepreneurship. True economic development means simplifying an overly complex tax system and staying on the cutting edge of emerging technologies, so we can compete nationally. We need to make Louisiana a business-friendly state, and economic growth will follow. Let us create the opportunities here so Louisianans don't have to leave home to find them.
Government involvement in economic development is legitimate only when it provides the infrastructure that will return to the taxpayers the dollars they have invested; it is legitimate when government and the people are true partners in development. This government involvement does not mean simply hiring more state workers when the need does not exist, nor does it include introducing special projects with questionable economic benefit. It also does not include making costly investments that benefit only a few.
Any investments in economic development must provide positive cash flow, transparency, and the opportunity for ongoing public evaluation. At no time should the citizens be "out of the loop." The government and the people should be partners in development, and citizens should feel they matter in the process.
Our tax code must be simple, fair and not oppressive to individuals or businesses that would consider bringing opportunities to Louisiana.
In short, lasting economic development will occur when citizens can keep more of their own money to invest, expand businesses, and have the means to purchase the goods they desire. More businesses will come to Louisiana when taxes are not outrageously high and the right incentives are available. Businesses will come when they are rewarded, not punished, for success. I will initiate and support this kind of economic development.
For the past thirty years, Louisiana has lost an increasing number of its young people due to lack of opportunity at home. It is unthinkable that some Louisianans no longer have the privilege of finding a job and raising their children near family and friends. It is a deep loss to us all. We are losing our most precious resource, our children and grandchildren, because we can't get our economic house in order and create the kind of opportunity they need. This must change.
When will it change? It will change when we get serious about identifying and cultivating the very real sources of economic development within our borders; when existing businesses in Louisiana get the sustained help they need to maximize their potential; and when Louisiana becomes a place attractive to new businesses to open up shop in our state.
It means thinking outside the box about what Louisiana offers that is unique and rare, and showcasing that to the country and world. It means tapping undeveloped sources of innovation that can bring us to a whole new level. It means looking at our state's possibilities as a whole, not as some arbitrary division separating south and north Louisiana. We are one people. Yes, there has been some progress and inroads made, but we are still far from where we need to be.
We must study the economic and commercial successes of other states and other congressional districts; not be afraid to emulate what has worked. We should consult and confer with experts in every field to identify economic models that have succeeded, and that can work for us, too. I don't believe it is a virtue to act as though we know it all, or have all the answers. There are great sources of information and ideas we can draw on, and we'd be foolish not to take advantage of hard-earned knowledge to better our state and help it reach its potential.
It also means encouraging young people to honor their own unique inspirations, even if their area of interest or talent leads them away from a conventional academic route or career path. Great accomplishments and huge contributions have come from individuals once thought of as "outside the mainstream," who ultimately reached unheard of heights of success. Great things come from unexpected places.
By the grace of God, Louisiana is richly blessed with the natural resources and the raw talent to fundamentally change our economic landscape. There is no good reason we are lagging behind any state economically. Our state has the ability to grow by leaps and bounds. What we have lacked is the collective will to capitalize on Louisiana's rich culture, unique history, and special gifts for the benefit of all.
Louisiana's fortunes will change when we as a people fully embrace the creative possibilities that are right before our eyes. Only then can we make our state and this congressional district what it is capable of being: a modern cultural and economic hub that can compete anywhere. We need a revolution of thought in how we see ourselves. We need to own our potential. Then, and only then, will our children be given a realistic opportunity to live, rear their children, and grow older where they most dearly want to be: home.
