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OUTDOOR MEMORIES
August 29, 2015
State Sen. Norbert “Norby” Chabert, R-Houma, is running for re-election to the Senate in District 20 and said that budgetary reforms top his list of priorities during what would be his last term in the Senate.
Chabert outlined the challenges he expects to face should he be elected again and listed some of the accomplishments he’s had that prove he is the man for the job.
“I look forward to working with the next legislature and the next administration to come up with a permanent fix for the antiquated, draconian budgeting process that we have in this state,” Chabert said. “We’ve got to look at all the taxes we assess. We’ve got to look at all the exemptions we grant.”
Each of the four candidates for Louisiana’s governor, Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, State Rep. John Bel Edwards and U.S. Sen. David Vitter have said they would support a special session to reform Louisiana’s tax structure.
But Chabert said that a special session won’t address every issue facing Louisiana’s budget problems like a constitutional convention would, “but it’ll be close to it. It will be the closest thing that we have to affect serious and positive change … Given the situation the state finds itself now, it’s more paramount now than ever to do something.”
Chabert said that one set of issues he would like to address are the rules governing special sessions. During a special session, legislators can only address the issue or issues for which the special session was called, and that scope is something he believes ought to be broadened.
Chabert said he believes his six years as a senator proves that he possesses those qualities.
On his accomplishments, Chabert said he is proud of the amount of money for capital outlay projects that he has helped bring to Terrebonne Parish. He used the Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration project, the funding of improvements to Louisiana Highway 1 and various state-owned levee systems that have been upgraded over the last few years as examples.
“When I became vice chairman of finance, those numbers really jumped up,” Chabert said.
Chabert said that the Bayou Region in in dire need for infrastructure upgrades and the fact that the state has a $14 billion backlog of infrastructure improvement projects does not help that.
Chabert also said one of his greatest accomplishments is in the reorganization of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development into the Office of Multimodal Commerce.
Chabert said he is most proud, though, of the part he played in crafting a deal to save the hospital named for his father, Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center, from devastating budget cuts in 2012.
Chabert received an endorsement last week from the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association.
Chabert said that his track record speaks for itself and that he understands what it takes to get things done in the Louisiana Legislature.
“You always hear these people that think they can be one person and they’re going to run up to Baton Rouge and change the world and they realize there are 64 parishes, 39 senators and 105 legislators and you’re only one of them,” Chabert said. “Oh, and by the way, there is a governor who has the power of a monarch. You just can’t go up there and just run headlong into those two major factors and expect to change the world.”
NORBY CHABERT
