The New Orleans Mayor’s race is just over seven months away, and The Louisiana Weekly (and by permission for publicatioon, Bayoubuzz) will interview all of the announced candidates, and those likely to run, asking each the same set of questions, so that the voters can begin to formulate their views on which aspirant should shoulder the recovery of New Orleans over the next four years. The first view is of James Perry.
The general public may never have heard of James Perry, but political insiders are very familiar with the veteran non-profit administrator. After nearly a decade in community service, and completing his law degree in 2004, Perry became the Executive Director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC), a private, non-profit organization created to promote equal housing opportunity.
Under his James’ management, GNOFHAC tripled in size, served thousands of residents and advocated for their housing rights. James led the GNOFHAC in battles over other rights-oriented community issues, such as fighting for fairer payouts by the Road Home Program.
Most recently, Perry made news leading his organization’s successful lawsuit against St. Bernard Parish, which passed an illegal ordinance mandating that landlords rent solely to blood relatives.
Perry previously testified before Congress six times about the critical importance of GulfCoast recovery, a cause that he took up again in presentations to both the Democratic and Republican conventions in the summer of 2008.
Despite having never run formally for office, Perry believes himself uniquely qualified to take on the job of the City's Chief Executive. As he explained, "I have worked hard in the trenches putting progress ahead of politics. All the while, status quo political leaders failed to move New Orleans forward. They have focused on their own needs, rather than the needs of the citizenry. I believe it is time to confront the politics of the past. I can do so by taking my service to the next level. I want to serve as Mayor so that I can deliver the New Orleans we deserve instead of the New Orleans we have."
It is his work in the non-profit sector, Perry believes, that has prepared him. "I have served as a Chief Executive Officer in the non-profit community for more than seven years. This is important because while government has consistently failed New Orleans’ recovery, the non-profit, faith-based and small business communities have provided the glimmers of light that shine through in an otherwise unimpressive recovery. Rather than relying on failed politicos, I believe that we should promote what works - the non-profit sector. As a respected and accomplished leader and executive from the non-profit sector, I am uniquely qualified to lead as the Mayor of New Orleans."
Perry's top three campaign planks, he told the Weekly, "are to make our city safe, foster true open government, and improve our quality of life through economic development and the eradication of blight".
Of his number one focus, the battle against rising Crime, Perry said, "As Mayor, I will engage in a national search for the best person to serve as Chief of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). Both the Chief and the department will be held accountable for quarterly benchmarks that work towards the reduction of crime. The NOPD will be required to focus on quality rather than quantity. For example, rather than waste police resources by arresting otherwise law abiding residents for minor traffic offenses, officers will be required to focus on the arrest and conviction of violent criminals. These are but a few of the reforms necessary to insure public safety."
"However," Perry continued, "it is not enough to simply recognize what must be done. The other key question for voters will be 'who' will actually deliver these desperately needed reforms. The next Mayor cannot take the easy path by doing what best benefits him or her politically, instead the Mayor must have the political courage to work effectively with other public officials on a coordinated reform program. If we are unable to solve our public safety crisis, we cannotmake the dramatic progress we must see in areas such as economic development and education. We must put progress above politics, and it must start with the next Mayor."
His unique community background will advance the cause of open government, he argued. "Part of what has made the response among non-profits and faith-based organizations so effective is their close and continuing communication with the communities that they serve. I believe government needs to be in close communication with its community of citizens. The first step in creating an effective two-way dialogue is to bring openness to the operation of government. My administration will respect the legal requirements of the Open Meetings and Public Records Act. We will also support an effective citizen participation mechanism that gives the public early and meaningful access to governmental decision making processes, including land-use planning and municipal budget decisions. We will make governmental processes available for citizen input and review via the internet and in person interaction."
"Open government must be more than a campaign slogan. It must be a governing philosophy, an ongoing commitment to communicate with citizens. It’s crucial to prevent difficult issues from being hijacked by agents of division who seek to sow mistrust and suspicion. Every minute spent bickering about making data available to the public is a minute we are not doing everything we can to rebuild this city."
Key to that recovery is a focus on Economic Development and Blight. Perry maintainted that the "two concerns that are related and should not be separated, since we cannot enjoy real economic development all across the city if do not free ourselves from the blight that engulfs our neighborhoods."
"We must expand and diversify the New Orleans’ economy with a few key focuses: we must expand the capacity at the Port of New Orleans before the completion of the expansion of the Panama Canal; second, we must encourage a green economy by fostering green jobs and green building practices through state incentives; and we must support existing local business, industry and entrepreneurship through tax incentives and retention rewards.
"Simultaneously, we must rebuild our city’s housing stock so that workers in the new, green economy have a decent, safe, and sanitary place to live. We do so in part, by addressing blight with an aggressive program of code enforcement. We will encourage new housing development with innovative public-private financing initiatives. We will tap the intellectual capital of the scores of young entrepreneurs who have been attracted to New Orleans as an inviting place to do business."
Perry does not view the use of eminent domain as a legitimate means to reduce blight, though, unlike many of the other candidates for Mayor. "For too long, the city’s housing redevelopment strategy has been focused too relentlessly on expropriation as the chosen vehicle for redevelopment."
"As a consequence, we have neglected the opportunity presented by a vigorous program of code enforcement. We must work to eliminate blighted housing by enforcing the housing, health, and environmental codes that are already on the books."
"We will administer this vigorous system of code enforcement together with a series of programs that assist homeowners through financial counseling, subsidies, and other initiatives to retain ownership of their homes while improving the condition of their properties. We will conduct our code enforcement programs in close communication with neighborhood organizations, so that we can properly target the worst properties in an area and work cooperatively with homeowners who want to do the right thing by improving their properties for the overall benefit of the surrounding neighborhoods."
Perry does oppose another pulic referendum on the proposed master plan, a postion that he took in opposition to one of his likely opponents, Senator Ed Murray. "Every successful city in the world has a strong and effective master plan. Chicago, for example adopted a master plan in 1909. The plan, still followed to this day, has been widely heralded as the key to Chicago’s successful growth and development. The same is true of Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London."
"I believe that the Great City of New Orleans is long overdue for a plan that insures its successful development by balancing the needs of neighborhoods and businesses. The master plan can also help to insure that the development and permitting process is objective and free from corruption and patronage."
"New Orleans voters have agreed with me. Last fall they voted to approve a Charter amendment requiring New Orleans to adopt a master plan with the force of law. I firmly believe that the process that voters put in place last November needs to be respected. Further, the long-awaited master plan finally needs to be implemented by our city’s duly elected representatives, just like so many other successful cities have done."
One element of the master plan is to eliminate the overpass over N. Claiborne cutting the Treme and St. Roch neighborhoods in Half. Perry outlined his thoughts on ending the I-10 route behind the French Quarter. "I have seen photographs of the neutral ground on North Claiborne when it had four rows of mature oak trees extending as far as the eye can see. Now when you stand in that same location, you see four rows of concrete piers extending as far as the eye can see, supporting an expressway that dumps grime and pollution down on a neighborhood that was once a thriving African-American business community."
"I support the master plan’s recommendation. It’s time to reverse the damage that was done almost 40 years ago by returning traffic to the streets and returning economic development to the adjacent businesses."
Many of the candidates for Mayor oppose the port's proposal to put a chicken processing plant at the end of Esplanade Ave next to the French Quarter. Others say that it is essential. Perry sees arguments on both sides.
"Decisions of this magnitude cannot be made in a vacuum. The port has a strong commitment to economic development, but the tourism industry is also crucially important to the city’s economic development. In addition, residents of Marigny and the French Quarter have a commitment to the quality of life in their neighborhoods, and the preservation community champions its own important values. All of these stakeholder interests need to be brought together in a dialogue that evaluates this site and other possible sites before making any final decisions."
"I would like to see a rigorous evaluation of alternative sites before the parties reach any conclusions. This issue has become a problem because the city did not establish an affirmative economic development agenda and maintain close communication with port officials so they could identify, in advance, issues requiring public dialogue before governmental decisions get announced."
Perry sees some concrete areas where regional interparish cooperation is politically possible. "Regional cooperation on mass transit is the most obvious opportunity. We have a Regional Transit Authority, but current transit routes more often than not reflect two separate systems, one based in Orleans and the other in Jefferson. I would also like to go further than the current bus system and explore opportunities for a light-rail link between the airport and New Orleans Central Business District (CBD). We also need to explore regional interstate cooperation, such as a light-rail corridor through New Orleans East to the MississippiGulfCoast as we are going to eventually be part of a Gulf South Regional Transit Corridor that links New Orleans with Gulfport/Biloxi in Mississippi, Mobile in Alabama, and Pensacola in Florida."
"I see a second opportunity for regional inter-parish cooperation in the push for the federal government to rebuild the Louisiana wetlands. Key to the future of New Orleans, St. Tammany, Plaquemines, Jefferson St. Bernard and other parishes south of Interstate 10, is reversing the coastal erosion that threatens our very existence. It will take true regional cooperation to convince the federal and state government to allocate the funding necessary to save our coast and reduce our susceptibility to hurricanes."
"Third, regional cooperation on affordable housing is a challenging subject, but nonetheless we need to begin addressing the appropriate allocation of affordable housing among parishes in the metro area. Ultimately perhaps, we might see the creation of a regional affordable housing authority to plan for and implement new construction and rehabilitation of existing structures within the four-parish region. "
Unlike some other candidates, if elected Mayor of New Orleans, Perry sees no reason to support a state law requiring a public vote before milliages could be rolled forward after being rolled back. "Currently, our Home Rule Charter entrusts the City Council the authority to roll back or roll forward millages. I see no need to surrender Home Rule Charter prerogatives to a state legislative process. As Mayor I would seek to achieve a consensus with the Council about how to handle the millages and I will not as a candidate for Mayor usurp the Council’s right and authority to make those decisions."
Perry refused to make a commitment to veto any attempt to roll forward the milliages if they were already rolled back.
He did oppose Ray Nagin's proposal to purchase the ChevronBuilding as a new city hall. "The building itself suffered from many deficiencies: no external 'public space' for people to assemble and petition their government; an architecturally undistinguished structure that did not make a statement appropriate for such a significant building."
"But more than the building itself, the way in which the Mayor presented the proposition was seriously flawed. You do not inform the legislative branch in a public speech for the first time that you intend to move the seat of city government without their participation, participation which is clearly required by the Home Rule Charter. As Mayor, I would embrace a policy of collaboration and communication by properly informing and involving the city council in decisions of this magnitude."
"I do support a new City Hall, and I would use the redevelopment of the current DuncanPlaza as an economic development opportunity for the city. We will provoke a dialogue among the Hyatt, Superdome, Saints at DominionTower, State of Louisiana, and other substantial property owners to explore an appropriate public-private mixed use development that could accommodate a new City Hall, new commercial enterprises, and a new public space."
Key to accelerating recovery, Perry says that the next Mayor, unlike Ray Nagin must "treat the legislative branch of government with respect and as partners in the recovery process. Going further, we must first and foremost address the fundamentals - pick up the garbage, pave and maintain the streets, repair the streetlights, clear the vacant and abandoned lots, etc.."
"We must give the public the confidence that government is working to improve and better their quality of life. If we can restore citizens’ trust in government to do the most fundamental and basic functions of government competently, then I believe we will have made a major step in accelerating our recovery."
If there is no GOP candidate for Mayor, The Republican Parish Executive Committee has promised to endorse a Democratic candidate. Perry said that he "would you seek that endorsement".
He also added, though, "My arguments to them would be the same as my arguments to Democrats and independents and all of our residents, who seek the same things. We are allconcerned about crime, open government, economic development, and the elimination of blight. Our recovery knows no party, no color, or class. It only knows 'forward' and 'stalled'. My goal is to move our long delayed recovery rapidly forward."
On the question of whether the voters should care if next Mayor of New Orleans is Black or White, Perry replied, "The next Mayor must be competent and focused on our long delayed recovery and must have the ability to move the city forward. The residents of the city are ready (if not desperate) to move past the politics of race and gender and embrace leadership that is capable of getting the job done. I believe that I am capable of providing that level of leadership."
"People in New Orleans are ready for a change in the way that city government does business. My record as civil rights leader, community organizer and chief executive officer are proof that I am the change agent New Orleans’ so desperately needs. I have demonstrated a commitment to serving as an advocate for people’s best interests. I am not beholden to political interests or the status quo. I want to bring a new agenda of reform and openness to city government, and I will do so as Mayor."
