LFT announces endorsements, favorable candidates and constitutional amendment recommendations
(Baton Rouge – September 30, 2015) This fall’s elections will mark a watershed in Louisiana history. Eight long years of misrule by the Jindal administration make it crucial that supporters of public education vote for candidates who respect our teachers, schools and students.
As LFT President Steve Monaghan wrote in a recent letter to members:
"While most Louisianans support our public schools, some deep-pocketed profiteers have spent millions to create the impression that our teachers and our schools are failing. Their aim has been to vilify educators, raid public school funds, and privatize education.
“Our governor, a majority of BESE members, and far too many legislators seem to have turned their backs on public schools. Several times, we were forced to court, challenging the constitutionally of schemes posturing as laws.”
This year we have an opportunity to reverse that trend. Our endorsed candidates have been vetted by the LFT COPE committee, by our local officers and by our brothers and sisters in labor. We have good friends running for office who will be solid supporters of public education when they are elected.
Please give them every consideration at the polls on October 24. Remember that you may vote early on October 10 through 17. Your local Registrar of Voters has a list of polling places for early voting.
Here are the LFT’s recommendations for the House of Representatives, Senate, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, statewide offices and proposed Constitutional amendments:
House of Representatives
Endorsed Candidates
District Candidate
5 Dr. Eileen Valez
9 Dodie Horton
13 Philip Lawrence
17 Rep. Marcus Hunter (incumbent)
22 Rep. Terry Brown (incumbent)
28 Rep. Robert Johnson (incumbent)
32 Rep. Dorothy Sue Hill (incumbent)
34 Rep. A.B. Franklin (incumbent)
39 Rep. Stephen Ortego (incumbent)
40 Donovan Hudson
41 Germaine Simpson
44 Rep. Vincent Pierre (incumbent)
51 Rep. Joe Harrison (incumbent)
53 Brenda Leroux Babin
55 Rep. Ed Price (incumbent)
60 Chad Brown
62 Ken Havard (incumbent)
68 Patty Merrick
72 Robby Carter
73 Tim Bailey
87 Rep. Ebony Woodruff (incumbent)
96 Rep. Terry Landry (incumbent)
97 Rep. Joseph Bouie (incumbent)
99 Jimmy Harris
100 Alicia Plummer Clivens
102 Gary Carter, Jr.
105 Alexis Billiot
Favorable Candidates
District Candidate
4 Cedric Glover
4 Reginald Johnson
29 Vereta Lee
29 Ronnie Edwards
61 C. Denise Marcelle
61 Donna Collins-Lewis
63 Barbara Carpenter
63 Joyce Plummer
103 Leola Anderson
103 Casey Hunnicutt
SENATE
Endorsed Candidates
District Candidate
1 Sharon Hewitt
2 Sen. Troy Brown (incumbent)
4 Rep. Wesley Bishop
12 Mickey Murphy
13 Sen. Dale Erdey (incumbent)
15 Rep. Regina Barrow
Favorable Candidates
7 Troy Carter
7 Rep. Jeff Arnold
24 Rep.Ledricka Thierry
24 Gerald Boudreaux
BESE
Endorsed Candidates
District Candidate
1 Lee Barrios
2 Kara Washington
3 Lottie Beebe
5 Johnny Fatheree
7 Michael Kreamer
8 Carolyn Hill
Favorable Candidates
4 Mary Harris
4 Glynis Johnston
6 Kathy Edmonston
6 Etta Licciardi
6 Jason France
Statewide Endorsements
& Positions
Governor: John Bel Edwards
Lieutenant Governor: Melvin “Kip” Holden
Secretary of State: Tom Schedler, Chris Tyson (Both Favorable)
Attorney General: Buddy Caldwell
Treasurer: No Position
Commissioner of Ag and Forestry: No Position
Commissioner of Insurance: No Position
2015 Proposed Constitutional Amendments
Proposed Amendment No. 1
Act 473 of the 2015 Regular Session
Do you support an amendment to rename the Budget Stabilization Fund to the Budget and Transportation Stabilization Trust; to authorize the mineral revenue base to be increased every five years; to create the Budget Stabilization Subfund as a subfund in the Trust, to be funded with mineral revenues until reaching a maximum balance of five hundred million dollars, to be appropriated and used when the state has a deficit; to create the Transportation Stabilization Subfund as a subfund in the Trust, to be funded with mineral revenues until reaching a maximum balance of five hundred million dollars, to be appropriated and used for planning, design, construction, and maintenance connected with the state highway program, with twenty percent dedicated for use by the Louisiana Intermodal Connector Program; and to provide for the interruption of deposits into the Budget Stabilization Subfund and the Transportation Trust Subfund the year that the state has a deficit and the following year with the resumption of deposit of mineral revenues in the Budget and Transportation Stabilization Trust thereafter? (Amends Article VII, Section 10(D)(2)(d), 10.3(A)(intro. para.) and (A)(2)(a)(intro. para.) and (b), and 10.5(B); Adds Article VII, Section 10.3(A)(2)(c))
NO POSITION
Proposed Amendment No. 2
Act 471 of the 2015 Regular Session
Do you support an amendment to authorize the investment of funds for a state infrastructure bank to be used solely for transportation projects? (Amends Art. VII, Sec. 14(B))
FAVORABLE
Proposed Amendment No. 3
Act 472 of the 2015 Regular Session
Do you support an amendment to allow any legislation regarding the dedication of revenue, rebates, and taxes to be considered during a fiscal legislative session? (Amends Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b))
OPPOSE
Proposed Amendment No. 4
Act 470 of the 2015 Regular Session
Do you support an amendment to specify that the ad valorem property tax exemption for public lands and other public property shall not apply to land or property owned by another state or a political subdivision of another state? (Amends Art. VII, §21(A))
FAVORABLE