‘Younger generation’ joins race

Both candidates for Lafourche Parish Council District 9 are fixated on correcting what they call a convoluted process for acquiring permits under the Lafourche Parish Government umbrella.

Will Lasseigne, a 44-year-old port engineer for Edison Chouest Offshore and veteran of the U.S. Air Force, will challenge Daniel Lorraine, the longest-tenured councilman who has served seven consecutive terms.

Lorraine, 58, has been a vocal critic of Lafourche Parish’s Department of Planning and Permitting, which replaced South Central Planning and Development as the parish’s permitting authority last year. He said the process takes too long for prospective builders, who often have to make more than one trip to the parish’s centrally located permit office.

“Nothing against anybody working in there at this time, but hopefully we can get it modified where we can get permits out quicker than they are doing now,” Lorraine said. “That can be done, and I’m not going to quit until I get a permit office opened in the Thibodaux area and south Lafourche. That would be a big, big help if that was done.”

The challenger, who once worked as a contractor in Florida, agreed that the permitting process is faulty, and said he would start by reducing permit fees, which he said were “drastic” and serve as another tax. He said the process should be “streamlined, simpler and cheaper.”

“I spent part of my adult life away in Florida, and that’s actually where I was a contractor, and they went through the same things that we’re going through, but the process is a lot simpler and a lot cheaper,” he said. “That’s what I would like to do. I’ve spoken to the current parish president about it and if she wins or not, I’ll work with whoever becomes the president and try to make this process better.”

Lasseigne said that although he has no qualms with Lorraine, he believes it’s time for the “younger generation” to take over.

“We come from the same upbringing, basically, but I just feel that he is part of the problem and not part of the solution,” he said. “I think that there is better ways to find solutions than fighting. You have to fight for what’s right and what’s good for the community, but I just think that we need to try to find solutions and not keep it bogged down.”

Lorraine said his experience and track record of improving the streets of south Lafourche are the difference between he and Lasseigne. He pointed to his conservatism, and said he has also proven to be a staunch opponent of raising his district’s taxes unless it was necessary for road projects.

“Somebody said that I had old blood,” Lorraine said. “They’re looking for new blood. I was always under the impression that I had A-negative blood, which is rare. But in case I have old blood, it’s very productive.”