Delgado Grilled on Opposition to St. George

Metro Councilman John Delgado brought his campaign for Mayor-President to the Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon Tuesday and outlined his plans for City-Parish government, especially fighting crime.  He said crime is the No. 1 problem facing the parish, and he wants to add 200 officers to the Baton Rouge Police Department.

The outspoken Republican who takes a liberal position on some hot button issues was given a chance to back off from some of his harsh attacks against conservatives in the past, but he refused to do so.

When asked if he would retract his comparison of supporters of incorporating the City of St. George with the Taliban (a terrorist group in the Middle East), Delgado said he was not very politically correct and that the comment was made during “a heated time,” but he did not retract it.

Dwight Hudson, himself a candidate for Metro Council, told Delgado that his public statements on those who disagree seem to take on a pattern of demagoguery. “You talk about being ‘Better Together’ but when it comes to supporters of St. George or opponents of the Fairness Ordinance, you don’t bring us together.”  Delgado responded that “I am who I am.”

The first-term Councilman said he will help create good-paying jobs with economic development.  One untapped resource is the parish’s 12 miles of undeveloped river frontage.

Improving traffic problems will also be a priority, he said.  He discussed the Loop and expanding the Green Light Program. He said the City Parish should be part of solving the education problem in the parish by expanding Head Start and recruiting great charter providers to the parish. Delgado said supporters of St. George should work together to fix the parish’s problems, but St. George leader Norman Browning told him he called a meeting of Metro Councilmen to address the problems at Woodlawn High School, and only one — Buddy Amoroso — bothered to come. “None of the Councilmen who say we need to ‘work together’ showed up, nor did Better Together or One Community, One School System.” he said.