re: With the war between BR and SG continuing, is this a good time to bring up the

I just wrote an email to my councilman telling him my wife and I are opposed to any EBR funds subsidizing the RDA. I don't know if it will do any good since Delgado knows I supported his opponent when he ran for council but it made me feel better to get it off my chest.

I also wrote an email to Kip Holden thanking him for what he said opposing the "hand out" for Walter Monsour.

Again, it made me feel better.....

quote:

---

Yes, the Gardere area could use redeveloping,

---

I'm glad you agree with me.

quote:

---

it isn't on the list of projects that the RDA has planned according to the RDA website.

---

Hopefully it's a moot point and the RDA will fold its doors in 2015 as Walter Monsour says it will without EBR funding.

Delgado has already replied to my email.

Don't leave us hanging!

quote:

---

For?
Against?

---

Difficult to say.


He sent a very eloquent and heartfelt reply that I know he spent a lot of time composing.


His reply said, "Thank you."


"Sent from my iPhone"

He is too busy keeping guard over the "Baton Rouge Taliban".

It seems your guy is on our side, and so is mine.

quote:

---

Metro Council divided on proposed annual RDA appropriation

The East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority will likely face an uphill battle in its efforts to secure a permanent funding source from the Metro Council. The RDA board of commissioners voted Monday to ask the Council for an annual $3 million appropriation to keep the agency afloat; it is due to run out of money by early 2016. But Mayor Kip Holden is strongly opposing the request and has said he will not include it in his proposed budget. That means it will take a supermajority of eight council votes to pass an amendment to include RDA funding, and already five council members are against such a move. Buddy Amoroso, John Delgado and Chandler Loupe all say they'd vote no if confronted with the issue today. Amoroso and Loupe say the budget is too tight, while Delgado asserts the agency has spent too much on Monsour's $300,000 annual salary and hasn't delivered what it promised. Chauna Banks-Daniel and Trae Welch are also leaning against funding the RDA, though both say they have not yet made a firm decision on the matter. Supporting the RDA is Donna Collins-Lewis, who was the only councilperson at Monday's RDA meeting and has offered to be the cheerleader for the agency on the council. C. Denise Marcelle is also leaning toward supporting the RDA and believes the council should find some money in its budget to help the agency, though she, too, has concerns about Monsour's salary. Three others—Joel Boé, Ronnie Edwards and Ryan Heck—are undecided, though Edwards says she would like to explore the possibility of merging the RDA with the city-parish Office of Community Development or at least finding synergies between the two agencies. Tara Wicker and Scott Wilson did not return calls seeking comment in time for publication.—Stephanie Riegel

---

I'd like to see the DPW take over what the RDA does and let civil service run this enterprise.