NEW ORLEANS - Six weeks from now, New Orleans voters will head to the polls for a special election to fill the seat vacated last year by former City Council Member Arnie Fielkow. The race for that at-large seat is crowded.
At the St. Maria Goretti Community Center, the candidates tackled all things relative to New Orleans East.
The first topic was what to do to get economic development going in New Orleans East.
Among the ideas floated was incentives.
"Specifically, incentives like tax breaks on inventory, also tax breaks on hiring people who from the locale, right here where we are in New Orleans East," said candidate Austin Badon.
"I would make sure that finally, the Lake Forest Plaza TIF is done, so that there are the revenues and the funding needed to provide the incentives that get retail, real retail, in our community," said candidate Cynthia Willard-Lewis.
"I believe the opportunity is here for us to develop cluster business sections within New Orleans East," said candidate William "Poppa" Gant.
Others pointed to a need for a city government presence in the East.
"We should consider that with the size of the New Orleans East land mass and the population out here, we should have some substantial government entities here so people don't have to drive downtown," said candidate Gary Landrieu.
The candidates also tackled the ongoing issue of health care in the area, some suggesting taking state money geared towards the teaching hospital downtown and using it to speed up the redevelopment of the former Methodist Hospital.
"The state legislature can take some of that money and add it - they paid for $40 million for Methodist Hospital - to expand it out here. You will be dead by the time you get downtown, I'm telling you," said Andrew Gressett said.
Since the at-large seat will represent the entire city, citywide issues came up during the forum, including whether or not the candidates supported a proposed rate hike for sewerage and water repairs.
"They have never clearly explained to you why it needs to be fixed. It's got nothing to do with Katrina. The federal government ain't going to pay for something that was already damaged," said candidate Norbert Rome.
"Ultimately, the Sewerage and Water Board has got to have more money to fix infrastructure that has been ignored for so long, but I am not going to vote for a rate increase, until two things happen. Number one, they get the act together of the organization itself," said candidate Stacy Head.
With seven candidates, the race is wide open, according the Eyewitness News Political Analyst Clancy DuBos.
"The important thing to note is this is an off election. Turnout is going to determine everything. Turnout is always the most important factor, but it is almost the only factor in this race," DuBos said.
The turnout will become clear, when voters head to the polls on Mar. 24.
If a runoff is needed, it would be held four weeks after the March election.
