Laf. trick-or-treat ordinance fails

The Lafourche Parish Council nixed a proposal, which would have set trick-or-treating times within the parish between 6 and 8 p.m. on Oct. 31 annually.

The measure failed by a vote of four yays, three nays and two absences. All votes require a majority of five yays to pass.

Joseph Fertitta, the author of the proposed ordinance, Jerry Jones, Michael Delatte and Aaron Caillouet voted in favor of the proposal, while L. Phillip Gouaux, Jerry LaFont and Daniel Lorraine voted against it. John Arnold and Lindel Toups were absent.

Fertitta thinks there should be a parish-wide rule in order to protect the safety of children on the parish’s streets after dark.

“I’m just concerned about the children’s safety,” he said. “You have some of these streets that don’t have streetlights and you got kids walking there at 8 o’clock at night, 9 o’clock at night. This is more of a safety issue than anything else.”

LaFont cited the fear of government becoming too big as the basis of his opposition.

“In some cities where violence could be [possible], maybe set a set time, but we don’t have that in Lafourche Parish and I think we’re taking the fun away from the kids,” LaFont said.”… What happens if a kid wants to start trick-or-treating at 5:30? As a homeowner, as a resident I can control that because I’m going to put the candy out when I’m ready and when I’m tired of putting out candy or I’m had enough I’m just going to turn off my lights same as everybody else does. I think government’s getting way too big and trying to control too many things and who’s going to enforce this? I don’t think the sheriff has enough time to enforce this. It’s not causing anybody trouble.”

Fertitta, however, feels a time limit would be necessary despite the proposal failing.

“You have to have some kind of time,” he said. “You don’t know when time these kids are going to come. You have to set some kinds of standards and I think 6 to 8 is plenty enough time for kids to trick-or-treat.”

In the original version of Fertitta’s ordinance, he also included an age limit stating that children must be under the age of 12 to trick-or-treat. After receiving lots of opposition from other members of the council during a discussion period, Fertitta amended his proposed ordinance to remove the age limit, and the council accepted the amendment by a vote of six yays, one nay and two absences.

Delatte mentioned that in areas of his district, many adults dress up and trick-or-treat with their children, and according to the letter of the law, those parents would have been in violation of the ordinance.