State Rep. Fred Mills, R-Parks, declared his candidacy for the state Senate District 22 seat that will officially be vacant with the Dec. 26 resignation of incumbent Troy Hebert, who is leaving the Legislature to take the post of commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles.
The Thursday-evening announcement by Mills was widely anticipated; formerly a Democrat, Mills switched his party affiliation earlier this month. District 22 comprises Iberia and St. Martin parishes.
Following are excerpts from the press release issued by Mills’ office Thursday:
Mills is also a licensed pharmacist and serves as president/CEO of FM Bank, and is widely recognized in the latter role for his zany television commercials.Mills stated that he would consider an opportunity to serve the people of District 22 an honor since the entire area has so much potential given that the two parishes, Iberia and St. Martin, have strength in their commonality, both geographically and economically, strong family values, and a strong commitment to faith. Mills added, "This district is fortunate to have two major federal highways, Interstate 10 and Highway 90; the world class Port of Iberia; three major sugar mills; oil and gas resources; the vast Atchafalaya Basin; and abundant coastal resources that provide some of the best hunting, fishing, and seafood in the nation; a robust tourism industry; and the historic Bayou Teche that traverses much of the District. We need a senator that will provide the leadership to take advantage of these resources by helping to create jobs for our families and I want to be that person."
"As a businessman for over thirty (30) years, I have helped to create hundreds of jobs. As a state representative, I have voted to reduce taxes, support major ethics reform, oppose legislative pay raises, and opposed the job killing offshore drilling moratorium, while at the same time being a leading advocate to protect the life of the unborn. I have been pro life, pro small business and pro family my entire life. I will continue to provide state leadership in these three areas.”
Mills’ desire to serve the people of District 22 is rooted in his success as state representative where he sponsored and passed 38 bills during his first term as a legislator in the House. One of his prominent pieces of legislation, in which he worked closely with the governor’s office and pro-life advocates to pass, is the abortion bill, HB 1370, which assures that the state provide for license actions imposed against outpatient abortion facilities.
MAY 22 This post was written the day after the second line shooting in NOLA, by Brentin Mock. Mock is a friend of Deb "Big Red" Cotton, a blogger who was shot in the back and was seriously injured. It is a raw, emotional piece of writing, something the writer obviously felt he needed to get off his chest. But it raises questions that can't be easily dismissed, and might give some insight into where the source of these events truly is.
MAY 22 In this Baton Rouge Business Report post, Rolfe McCollister considers the privatization of bus service in Baton Rouge. After decades of under-funding, it is a mess, and although a tax (partially) passed last year, improvement hasn't happened yet. McCollister apparently feels it is time to let private business get in on the transit business.
MAY 22 This post on Bayou Buzz by Jeff Crouere urges the defeat of a bill that would grant modest pay increases over the next several years to the state's judges and clerks of court. The state is in no position to fund pay hikes, Crouere argues, with the pay increases costing a total of $9 million over several years. It sends the wrong message to the (proverbial) hard-working people of Louisiana, he says.
MAY 22 The Advocate reports here that State Treasurer John Kennedy is complaining about a meeting of the corporation that oversees the state's tobacco settlement. The Governor wanted it restructured, and he has some support, but not a lot. The corporation agreed with his plan, but Kennedy didn't, and it appears that the meeting was noticed in a manner completely different than that of all previous meetings. Kennedy's given to hyperbole, but in this case the fish don't smell too fresh.
MAY 22 In this Advocate story, Carencro Police Chief Carlos Stout says the recent federal indictment of a strip club owner is all wrong. The indictment alleges that drugs and prostitution went on with impunity because club staff made arrangements with "local" police. Stout says it never happened, and while his cops do work security in the parking lot, they're not allowed inside.
MAY 22 This amusing post in DIG Baton Rouge recounts an ad that ran on Craig's List recently; the advertiser was seeking tenants for a Beauregard Town house. He knew his market, and wrote an ad that the most ironical hipster couldn't resist. Apparently, he really did know his market, because the ad worked like a charm.
MAY 22 In this post in The Lens, Mark Moseley comments on the rhetoric Gov. Jindal employed in trying to save his tax "reform" package. One interesting point concerns Jindal's use of his brother, Nikesh, in a little story. Nikesh left Louisiana because of his inability to get a decent job, the story goes, but the story won't hold water: Nikesh lives in DC, which has an income tax level comparable to Louisiana, Moseley says. If income taxes caused the dismal situation, it should exist in DC too. Right?
MAY 22 This post by columnist John Maginnis traces the trajectory of the bill that would fund construction at community and technical colleges -- and bypass the Board of Regents and traditional higher ed funding mechanisms. Sure, it will bust the legislature's self-imposed debt limit, but some leges feel that there's more need (because there is more growth) in the community and technical college area than in the university area, he says.
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It is a shame that he felt the need to change his party affiliation in an obvious effort to win in what I am guessing is a Republican stronghold.
Wait what am I thinking the whole area has turned into a Republican stronghold.
If politicians like Mr. Mills would only realize that what we are really looking for are Independent Politicians free from both political parties and the mess they have gotten us into!