Why now?

“The question I get most often is ‘Why now? Why not wait your turn?’ And the first thing I tell people when they ask that question is that we’ve had one person as our Mayor-President for the past 8 years.  That’s a long time. Long enough that we can tell if this working or not. 

There are 32 professional football teams in the NFL. Only three have the same coach they had when the current Mayor-President was elected in 2016. As I look around today, after eight years, East Baton Rouge is not a playoff team. We can’t settle for stagnant or mediocre. It’s time for a change. The people of my hometown deserve a tangible vision and trusted leadership. 

I’m a father, that’s my top job. When I talk to parents who are scared about crime, about schools, about the air and water – they are scared for their kids’ safety and futures. Baton Rouge isn’t keeping up and they know it. As a father I feel it.

Traveling all over the country as a regional administrator for the Small Business Administration, I’ve seen the forward looking, progressive programs being implemented to build a strong small business ecosystem in Conway, to address homelessness in Birmingham and Atlanta. Flying into Baton Rouge from these other places that are on the move- looking down on the blight, driving home from the airport with the litter… this just isn’t good enough. 

I know I can make a difference for this community. And I know that tomorrow isn’t promised. Covid put me in the hospital fearful that I would never see Harper grow up. Most people who got to that point didn’t make it. They never got to walk their kids into a new school again. I didn’t think I was going to make it. But, by the grace of God, I did.  And I just can’t sit and wait for a tomorrow that might never come, knowing I can do things to help people today. The longer we wait for the Baton Rouge we deserve, the less time we have to spend in it. 

Ted’s Background

Before being elected to the legislature in 2011, James served as a housing policy advisor to Governor Kathleen Blanco, then joined Louisiana Department of Revenue.

As a legislator, Ted’s natural tenacity combined with his policy background in state government let him quickly establish himself as a leading voice, becoming the Chairman of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus while still in his 30s. State Representative Barbara Carpenter praised James’s leadership as Caucus Chair, saying “Ted crafted a real policy agenda to give unity and direction to the Caucus for the first time in several years.” 

James was known for his ability to build relationships with Republican colleagues and win their support to advance the Caucus’s agenda. Said James, “You have to find ways to work with people, even if you disagree on some issues, because you may find common ground on others. I believe in building personal relationships. Friends can stick to their convictions and fight today, and still go out of their way to help each other tomorrow. Enemies don’t help you, so I try to not make them.”

As Chairman of the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee, James was the leading voice for police reform initiatives. “After the Alton Sterling killing and the police abuses around the country, people were finally focused on a problem black men and women have known for a long time. I took the concerns of this community to the Capitol and turned protest into policy.” 

What will Ted do about crime?

“As Mayor-President, addressing crime and letting our people feel safe in their own homes and on trips to the grocery store is a top priority.”

“In the short term, we need to provide substantial raises to law enforcement. Between the BRPD and the EBRSO we are over 200 officers short.  Next, bring back special units. The street crimes unit was effective but there were problems. Let’s bring it back with new leadership.”

“In the long term we address crime and leadership through the consolidation of law enforcement resources. BRPD ultimately reports to a Mayor, who may not have any background in criminal justice matters. Instead, let’s consolidate our efforts under the leadership of a career law enforcement professional. In addition, we desperately need new adult and juvenile jails that are suited to rehabilitation and education, and we need to provide adequate funds for the public defender’s office.

Looking even further ahead to addressing generational poverty and crime, we must fund Head Start – starting today. Multiple studies show that early childhood education programs like Head Start give us a 20% decrease in brushes with the law for kids who participate. We have 70% of people in prison reading at a 4th grade level or below – if we can get them into school early and teach them to read, we can put them on a path that goes somewhere besides jail.

How will Ted handle our local economy?

Wherever our people go, they need economic support as well as educational. And every area has different needs. North Baton Rouge needs private investment and business development. We get there by streamlining and fast-tracking environmental reviews and permitting. As a legislator, I was responsible for the largest appropriation ever to the Baton Rouge North Economic Development District. We’ve got to bring back private investment, grocery stores, and healthcare to a huge swath of the city that has been left behind. 

Downtown needs to reorient around a new mission for the River Center. Ten years ago, downtown was on the upswing; today it’s a ghost town. We’ve lost our footing there, and we have to get it back. 

In other areas like Central and Zachary, there is plenty of private investment, but we are behind in building the infrastructure to keep up with population growth.

What is your position on St George?

“My position has never changed. I filed legislation to stop St. George twice as a legislator. I never supported this breakaway because I felt it was divisive and didn’t address the needs of the whole Parish. I’m very disappointed that the Supreme Court upheld the creation of St. George, but they did. Twice. And so, this legal process has ended. Now we need to move forward.  We have a new city, just like Baker and Zachary and Central. It is still part of the EBR Parish family and it’s time to move forward and establish a transparent working relationship with the new leadership appointed by the Governor. “

To learn more about Ted James, visit  www.TedJames.com