[StBernard] touts business for state

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Tue Apr 17 20:51:25 EDT 2007


By PATRICK COURREGES
Advocate Acadiana bureau
Published: Apr 17, 2007

LAFAYETTE - Candidate for governor state Sen. Walter Boasso, R-Arabi, said
Monday that Louisiana has the chance this year not only to change governors,
but to change the face of government.

Boasso told an evening gathering of Lafayette's Concerned Citizens for Good
Government that long-term vision by leaders unafraid of political
consequences and unworried about re-election are what the state needs.

Boasso, a south Louisiana businessman, spoke generally about some of the
basic problems in the state - such as health care, education and insurance
in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita - but more specifically about his
ideas for boosting the state's economy.

He said one of the keys in his business is determining what sets his company
apart from others, and the same should apply for attracting and keeping
business in the state.

Boasso said the potential of the Mississippi River needs to be better
tapped, suggesting that one way would be to improve the waterway
infrastructure to attract more shipping.

He said state government has spent far too little on the port industry in
relation to its importance to the economy.

"I'm going to plug Louisiana into Asian trade," Boasso said. "Once we plug
ourselves into Asian trade, we will light up Louisiana like a Christmas
tree."

Boasso said the shipping to and from Asian markets bypasses Louisiana's
ports because they are not set up to quickly handle container-to-barge
shipment of goods.

"The ships just pass Louisiana by to go through the Panama Canal," he said.

That could change by construction of a more modernized port at the mouth of
the Mississippi River, Boasso said.

He said that a public-private partnership could get such a port built;
Boasso said he knows shippers who would be interested in that kind of
project.

"The only opposition to it is going to come from other states," Boasso said.

He also said he wants to work to communicate with existing Louisiana
businesses to find out what they need to remain in the state and expand.

Boasso said north Louisiana offers space and resources that are too seldom
thought of when companies look to expand.

"So many people south of I-10 look east or west, to Houston or Gulfport," he
said.

Boasso said that he recently convinced a business owner looking to move to
North Carolina to consider a site in Winnsboro, and when the business owner
took him up on it, the company found a good space and willing workforce.

Boasso said much of north Louisiana has the infrastructure and trainable
workforce to support such expansions, and other areas in the north could do
so with a little state help.

"It's a combination of both," he said.

Boasso is one of three Republicans who have declared their intention to run
in the Oct. 20 race.

The others are New Orleans businessman John Georges and U.S. Rep. Bobby
Jindal, R-Metairie.

The announced Democrats are the Rev. Raymond Brown of New Orleans and
Shreveport Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell.

Franklin Libertarian T. Lee Horne has also announced his candidacy




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