ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING:
Rent and insurance costs are too high for many of our friends and neighbors to return home and for many of us who are back. We need to make New Orleans not only a great place to visit but also a great place to live. Right now, living in New Orleans is too expensive. In the House of Representative, I fought for a livable New Orleans and will continue to do so in the Senate.

I HAVE:

•  Acquired $25 million for the Housing Trust Fund which seeks to develop rental housing and promote homeownership for low income individuals and families

•  Explored legislation to prevent predatory disaster leasing practices.

•  Supported $110 million tax credits to homeowners who are paying more for home insurance than before the storm .

•  Voted for the Insure Louisiana Incentive Program to lure private insurance companies into the state and drive down the cost of insurance. With more insurance companies, property owners will be able to lower rent in the city.

I WILL CONTINUE To:

•  Advocate for insurance reform so we can all afford to protect our homes and lifestyles.

•  Develop incentives for affordable and stable rent prices.

•  Fight for the fair and equitable property assessment.

ON CRIME:
My strong support for community activism and an adequate and effective education system is key in decreasing the crime in New Orleans . Afterschool activities and community events play an important role in curbing the crime situation. As a state legislator, I will continue to promote the funding of governmental and community programs to keep our children on the right path. I have been a leader in the House and will be a leader in the Senate on recruiting and retaining high quality criminal justice officers and attorneys by increasing their pay. Our streets need to be safer, and as your State Senator, I will assist in passing legislation to restore order in our streets.

I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED:

•  Created the Hurstville Security and Neighborhood Improvement District.

•  Ensure the safety of our students through mandatory criminal background checks on childcare workers.

•  Increased pay for police officers and assistant district attorneys to help recruit and retain top-notch law enforcement personnel.

•  Mentored and coached youth in track and field. Of the over 100 high school graduates coached, ninety percent of the athletes went on to attend college.

•  Passed legislation to require criminal background checks for all child care workers.

•  Provided funding for the Boys & Girls Club, Cops for Kids Summer Program, and other community activities.

•  Secured funding for Rosenwald Gym and Taylor Park.

•  Sponsored numerous anti-domestic violence bills.

•  Supported the appropriations of $6.6 million dollars to better equip the New Orleans Police Department to combat crime.

I WILL CONTINUE To:

•  Implement programs for more neighborhood cops so suspicion between cops and neighbors no longer exist.

•  Increase funding for a better trained, better equipped police force.

•  Promote funding for job training programs as deter individuals from a life of crime.

•  Rebuild the court system to ensure a fair and effective process from start to finish.

ON EDUCATION:
As a graduate of the New Orleans Public School System, I am committed to fighting for a quality education for every student in our state. We need smaller class sizes, quality teachers and textbooks for our students. Engagement by parents, neighborhood leaders, and elected officials are vital in a child's success.

I HAVE:

•  Led the effort to secure funding for a $22 million increase in funding for institutions of higher education affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

•  Introduced a bill to create the Afterschool Enrichment Program and Fund to give kids a safe place to be after school.

•  Successfully acquired $14 million for the New Orleans Public Library System.

•  Supported funding for the GO Grant program for need-based financial assistance for students in higher education.

•  Supported the increase in teachers' pay for our city's public school system.

•  Supported the arts and sciences by securing state funding for the Tipitina's Foundation and the New Orleans African American Museum of Art, Culture and History.

I WILL CONTINUE To:

•  Fund afterschool programs and activities.

•  Raise teachers and support staff's pay to recruit better qualified teachers and staff for our public schools to match the national average.

•  Support the growth of our Head Start preschool program.

•  Support our libraries, cultural centers, and institutions of higher education.

ON ETHICS AND GOOD GOVERNMENT:
Good government is a top priority. We can only be effective on these major issues by demanding integrity and accountability from our public officials. As always, I will hold myself to the highest ethical standards, and I will hold my colleagues to the same.

I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED:

•  Advocated for openness and transparency in state government.

•  Championed the formation of a taskforce to ensure that recovery dollars are spent efficiently.

•  Endorsed Blueprint Louisiana 's platform.

•  Strengthened good government in Louisiana by supporting the recent ethics reform package.

I WILL CONTINUE To:

•  Apply pressure for the fair allocation of resources along with efficient and responsible spending of recovery funds.

•  Encourage collaboration between the government, local businesses, faith-based organizations, and other civic groups so that everyone's voice is heard.

•  Pushed for tough ethics regulations for municipal as well as state officials.

ON HEALTH CARE:

As the only District 5 candidate to serve on the Louisiana Health Care Redesign Collaborative, I have been an active in the progress toward creating an affordable, high-quality, patient-centered health care system for the future of New Orleans and Louisiana .

I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED:

•  Chaired the Short Term Priorities Committee that developed a six-point plan that resulted $71.6 million for Louisiana hospitals and $50 million for the Greater New Orleans Health Service Corps for the recruitment and realignment of medical personnel.

•  Protected funding for mental health services in New Orleans .

•  Secured funding for breast and cervical screening for uninsured patients.

•  Secured funds for medical residents in child psychology and psychiatry programs.

•  Secured funds for school based health clinics.

•  Supported $55 million for primary health clinics.

I WILL CONTINUE To:

•  Advocate for children and support funding for school based health clinics.

•  Demand an adequate hospital emergency system.

•  Fight for better mental health services.

•  Push for more state funding for a biomedical district in New Orleans .

•  Work to bolster the health care workforce.