[StBernard] Rodriguez holds election fund-raiser

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish President Henry "Junior" Rodriguez held a small but
pricey fund-raiser at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Metairie on Thursday in
anticipation of seeking re-election in fall 2007. 
 
Charlie Reppel, Rodriguez's chief of staff, said about 35 people attended
the $2,000-a-ticket fund-raiser. 
 
However, several people were guests of those who bought tickets and that
number doesn't represent the amount of money generated, Reppel said, adding
that he couldn't yet say what the fund-raiser netted. 
 
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Rodriguez, 70, has been a parish elected official for more than 30 years,
starting out first as a member of the old Police Jury, before moving on to
the Parish Council and then the president's office. 
 
He is rebuilding his flood-damaged home in Verret. But like many public
officials, Rodriguez has been living in a trailer behind the government
complex since Hurricane Katrina. 
 
"I've got a job I started, and I want to see it finished," Rodriguez said of
seeking re-election. "My plan is in five years: We should be back to where
we were pre-Katrina and even better." 
 
Alan Abadie, a longtime political adviser and executive council to the
president, said the fund-raiser was attended by the "typical people who
attend" such events, including "engineering firms and contractors and land
developers." 
 
The only other announced candidate for president so far is Don Serpas of
Toca. Serpas, a 65-year-old retired electrician, has never held political
office but began handing out cards with campaign slogans and photographs of
the flooded parish in February. 

 
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I think Junior might be in for a shock come the next elections.