The Criminal Justice Election: Our Recommendations for Dec. 5, 2020
23rd November 2020 · 0 Comments
Early voting started on November 19 for an election that will determine how New Orleans deals with its rising crime rate, as well as the city’s policy to re-integrate criminals into society.
Our public civil discourse often centers on the importance of which candidate sits in the Oval Office, and that is critical. However, to the average person, the safety of their streets actually impacts their families far more.
Between the District Attorney’s race in Orleans and the remaining Judicial contests in the city and in Jefferson Parish, local voters will have the final say on what kind of future they want to build for their neighborhoods. Along with deciding the nature of utility rates by casting a vote in the Public Service Commissioner‘s race, in many ways, voting in the December 5 election stands as critically important as casting a ballot on November 3, 2020.
There is never a good excuse to refuse to vote, but there is a particular importance about turning out to the polls even amidst the Thanksgiving and early Christmas seasons.
PSC District 1: Eric Skrmetta
The incumbent Public Service Commissioner for much of the Greater New Orleans Region has proven a rarity – his work on protecting vital electric infrastructure has become required reading amongst his fellow regulators throughout the nation. His efforts are making Louisiana set the national standard on utility security, not a common compliment prior to Skrmetta’s ascension to the PSC. The Commissioner also has a plan to task electric polls near major roadways as the towers for the next generation 5G cellular transmitters. This move promises to expand high speed internet to rural communities currently lacking efficient speeds, and to lower the cost of internet in urban areas, lessening the digital divide.
CA NO. 1 (ACT 10, 2nd ES – SB 44) – Allows out-of-state resident to serve on a public postsecondary education board of supervisors: Vote Yes
Louisiana should no more limit the state’s access to potential educational experts at the supervisory level than we should hesitate to recruit teachers from out of state. Current law makes that difficult, and this would allow Louisiana to become competitive in attractive such talent.
ORLEANS PARISH ELECTIONS
District Attorney, Criminal District Court: Keva Landrum
In the competitive race to succeed Leon Cannizzaro, The Louisiana Weekly came to the conclusion that the only woman ever to serve as interim DA has the breath of knowledge and extensive experience to have earned a full term. Having served under three different district attorneys, Landrum wields the seasoned perspective in this contest.
Judge Criminal District Court, Section K: Marcus DeLarge
This former teacher and high school athletic director was inspired to go to law school after Hurricane Katrina. He comes from a long line of public servants, and seeks to use his educational background to provide expanded re-entry and post-diversion programs to bring felons back into society.
Judge Juvenile Court, Section A: Clinton “Clint” Smith
Clint Smith has practiced law for over 30 years. He encompasses the idea that a judicial office should come after an experienced career. In point of fact, he has served as an ad hoc judge in both Juvenile Court and Traffic Court, the former bench he ascended in 1995. Hundreds of juveniles adjudicated before him taught Smith a lesson. “The trauma those children suffer needs to be considered.” He proposes that the Court orders a “full assessment” of offenders by a group of social workers and psychologists to assess the best form of intervention services – “not just for the child, but for the family.” With proper counseling, he explained to The Louisiana Weekly, “kids can avoid jail…We must get to the underlining root causes of why this child was changed.” Smith believes grants and public-private partnerships could underwrite this effort. Matched with a true commitment to moving the moribund docket in Juvenile Court, Clint Smith convinced The Louisiana Weekly that he was the best man for the job.
Judge Juvenile Court, Section F: Ranord J. Darensburg
Should he win, Ranord Darensburg will very well stand as the best qualified Juvenile Court Judge ever elected in Orleans Parish. He has been involved with the court for over two decades, serving in multiple capacities, most recently as Clerk of Juvenile Court. He is a trained social worker, as well as an attorney, and has a comprehensive focus on the parish’s troubled youth. He wrote the grant to keep Teen Court functioning, after all. Now that 17- and 18-year-olds will be tried exclusively in Juvenile Court, Darensburg has conceived of innovative ideas to handle the influx, and to gear diversion programs towards finishing a GED rather locking children up. He will take violent offenders to task, but knows that his primary job is to look after troubled kids that, with a firm judicial hand, can be saved. By using restitution programs and evening reporting centers, this potential judge may have an impact well beyond the bench.
ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Member of School Board District 2: Chanel M. Payne
Member of School Board District 4: Leslie Ellison
Member of School Board District 5: Antoinette Williams
Member of School Board District 6: Carlos L. Zervigon
Member of School Board District 7: Kayonna Armstrong
Parishwide Proposition No. 1 of 3 – 2.619 Mills In-Lieu – CC – 20 Yrs.: Vote NO
Parishwide Proposition No. 2 of 3 – 0.987 Mills In-Lieu – CC – 20 Yrs.: Vote NO
Parishwide Proposition No. 3 of 3 – 1.05/1.164 Mills In-Lieu – CC – 20 Yrs.: Vote NO
These three proposals would eviscerate the New Orleans Public Library budget. Revenues would decline by over 40 percent, as monies are reverted to cover other gaps within the parish’s General Fund. The Louisiana Weekly does not deny Mayor Cantrell’s contention that the city needs major infrastructure upgrades and faces a fiscal cliff thanks to COVID-19. Nevertheless, prior to the passage of these millages in 2015, New Orleans had one of the most underfunded library systems for a city of its size in the United States. Since their enactment, a renaissance has occurred within our library system. This is especially true with the access to technology, a rare good spot amidst Orleans Parish’s tragic digital divide. Cutting this money away would literally deny our city’s poor, predominantly African-American population the computers and books that they need to function in modern society. Taking away knowledge cannot be the answer to the city’s fiscal problems.
French Quarter Economic Development Dist. – .2495 percent S&U Tax Renewal – CC – 5 Yrs.: Vote Yes
This renews an existing millage which provides needed infrastructure and resources to keep the jewel that is our most historic neighborhood alive. Only the taxpayers within the Vieux Carre pay for this tax, so for most of the city’s electorate, to reauthorize this tax means that the average citizen will NOT pay even a single one dollar from their own properties.
JEFFERSON PARISH JUDICIAL RACES
Judge 2nd Parish Court, Division A: Sharlayne Jackson-Prevost
This powerful parish court currently does not reflect the minority-plurality community that it represents. It needs a seasoned ad hoc judge. Jackson-Prevost has served as both a City Attorney and has held court in the Bureau of Adjudication.
Justice of the Peace 2nd Justice Court: Mark Spears
The former Councilman has effectively modernized his JP Court since his elevation to the bench, using technology and outreach to inform the community about their rights, and their ability to file for redress up to $5,000 before his court.
Justice of the Peace 7th Justice Court: Michele Peters Holmes
If the Avondale and Bridge City can boast of one person who is seen at all civic and public events, and whom every resident seems to count as a “close friend,” it is JP Michele Homes. The long-time local activist help create this African-American majority Justice Court, and it has proven a refuge for small claims and property disputes in the area. Holmes, who also works as a teacher at the International High School in New Orleans, has an educator’s patience and a leader’s focus. She deserves another term.
Plantation Estates Subdivision Special District – $500 Parcel Fee – PC – 10 Yrs. : Vote Yes
Fire Protection District No. 3 – 20 Mills Renewal – PC – 10 Yrs.: Vote Yes
On the former, The Louisiana Weekly has long supported the right for neighborhoods to vote upon themselves a special taxing district to deal with internal needs. This fee would deal with beautification and other needs within Plantation Estates subdivision. On the latter, it’s never a bad idea to authorize taxation for fire protection. It lowers insurance rates, and ultimately saves the taxpayer money, while providing a greater degree of security.
This article originally published in the November 23, 2020 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
