Gov.-elect Jindal touts change during Houma visit

Sarah Smith
October 30, 2007
November Dance
November 1, 2007
Sarah Smith
October 30, 2007
November Dance
November 1, 2007

Governor-elect Bobby Jindal appeared at Castalano’s Deli in Houma Thursday morning to thank area supporters.


Jindal delivered a speech to the crowd in Houma similar to the official acceptance speech he gave election night, stressing he is anti-corruption and that a new day is dawning in the state.

“We’re starting a new chapter,” he said. “We can believe in Louisiana again.”


“We will set the gold standard for ethics,” he said. “That’s the key to winning back the public’s trust. If anyone fights my war on corruption, I will call them out.”


He then repeated his campaign catchphrase, “We can change, we must change, we will change,” with the crowd echoing his words.

“I don’t care if you’re Democrat, Republican or anything else,” he said. “The eyes of the country are truly on us. You can’t keep us down.”


Jindal, who is currently representing Jefferson Parish in the U.S. House, pointed to coastal restoration as the prime issue facing Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.


The Congressman was one of the main sponsors of a provision giving Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama 37.5 percent of the royalties collected from oil and gas production on federal leases off the states’ coastlines.

The bill containing the provision was signed into law by President Bush in December of 2006.


Jindal, who serves in the House on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, said, as governor, he intends to sell $5 billion of that royalty money to investors in the form of a bond.

Doing so would expedite the flow of money to hurricane and flood protection in the state.

“No delays,” he said. “Get to work. Bond that money out, and use it for freshwater diversion and replanting vegetation in marshes.”

Like much of the state’s Congressional delegation, he also supports overriding President Bush’s threatened veto of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).

Provisions in the Act would funnel $3 billion to the state for hurricane and flood protection efforts, including the $888 million Morganza to the Gulf.

The project is a 70-mile system of hurricane protection levees and floodgates, parts of which would be constructed in Terrebonne Parish and parts of Lafourche Parish.

But Jindal insisted his attack on corruption in the state “is the number one thing,” he said.

Houma resident and Jindal supporter David LeBouef was struck by Jindal’s post-election appearance in Houma.

“He returned,” LeBouef said. “That’s the bottom line. Other politicians wouldn’t have come back.”

Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal returned to Houma last week, making a brief appearance at Castalano’s to outline his statewide push for ethics reform. “We’re starting a new chapter,” he said. “We can believe in Louisiana again.” * Staff photo by MIKE BROSSETTE