The Impact of Governor Blanco's Speech

The timing of Governor Blanco's announcement, a month before legislators are set to convene to consider her spending plan caught some people off guard, but state officials don't believe it will be the talk of the upcoming session. "If there has ever been a time there has been a cross roads we at it now and we do have some surplus available but I think we need to be wise to what we do with that surplus,” said Representative Mike Powell, District 6.

"Filter out the politics of the Governorship, but with the Legislative session re-election and time limits so we are going to have a lot of dynamics going with this session,” explained Senator Lydia Jackson, District 39. Governor Blanco did make headway on I-49 but some believe it wasn't enough. "It's time to get the project done. I'm not saying the governor hasn't tried but I think the people of Louisiana need something to happen,” commented Rep. Powell.

But others like Representative Billy Montgomery know she has done a lot for the region. "Just in the technical colleges how much money we get, and the roads. We've done a lot of things we built a community college from the ground up, the only one in the state has been ever been,” said Representative Billy Montgomery, District 9. State officials can agree on one thing, they are at a crossroad and the next steps are critical. "I think this gives us a new opportunity to look forward and put the politics of the past behind us,” commented Rep. Powell. "We have a big responsibility, we have to work together with a governor, with the senate before we just fight a lot, we're not going to do that now,” admitted Montgomery.