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Construction business owner James “Jimmy” Cantrelle Sr., (I), announced his candidacy for Lafourche Parish president, platforming on reducing wasteful government spending, improving drainage and fostering business growth.
This is Cantrelle’s fourth and final time running for the office, after losing the last presidential bid to Charlotte Randolph in 2011. That race went to a runoff where Randolph won by a slim 51 percent majority. Exactly 435 votes determined the outcome.
Cantrelle ran as a Democrat in his previous three bids for parish president. Personal political reasons were behind his party switch.
“The Democratic Party left me,” he told The Times. Running as an independent allows him to choose his own political philosophy when making decisions versus following the party line, he said.
Another asset, Cantrelle contends, is that he is a businessman, not a politician.
“Politics is not my profession, but I look at our neighboring parish and the progress made under the leadership of a business person and I believe we can do even better here in Lafourche Parish with the right leadership.”
Cantrelle emphasized his commitment to honesty in government, telling The Times that one of the first things on his agenda would be to push for term limits for the parish president. He also vowed to eliminate wasteful government spending.
In a press release, Cantrelle cited an instance when the parish rented portable levees for $4.2 million when they could have been purchased for $500,000.
To improve Lafourche’s drainage, Cantrelle said the parish’s aging pump stations need upgrades.
“Every one of our pump stations are in bad condition,” he said. “And a couple of the one’s they’ve redone, some of them can’t even do what their supposed to do.”
Fostering business growth is also part of the parish president hopeful’s platform. He contends inefficiencies in the permitting department drive businesses away.
“Private sector business should not see their parish government as an enemy,” he said. “They need to see them as a partner for growth.”
Cantrelle served on the Lafourche Parish Library Board from 2005-13, five as board president. When he left the library board, the system had a cash surplus. Approximately $3 million in property taxes was returned to Lafourche residents each year Cantrelle served, the candidate said.
