Our Levee Board Should Represent Our Community, not Serve as a Political Tool for Someone Who Received 3% of Our Vote. When a Politician Gets 3% of the Vote, They Shouldn’t Control 100% of Our Levee Board.

Petition to the Governor of Louisiana

Restore Representation and Accountability to the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District

To the Honorable Governor of Louisiana,

We, the undersigned residents and stakeholders of Lafitte, Barataria, Crown Point, and the surrounding communities, respectfully ask for your intervention to restore trust, representation, and proper governance to the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District.

The levee district exists for one purpose above all others: protecting our homes, businesses, and families from flooding and storm surge. In a coastal community like ours, this responsibility is not political, it is a matter of public safety and survival.

For fourteen years following its creation, the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District operated responsibly with balanced budgets and a clear mission: securing flood protection for an area that had long been left out of federal protection. During that time, the district helped bring over $180 million in levee and flood protection investment to communities that had historically been overlooked.

Unfortunately, recent political interference has destabilized the district and undermined public confidence in its leadership.

Our community has repeatedly seen decisions and actions taken for political purposes only, and even appear to work against the interests of Lafitte, Barataria, and Crown Point. Following Hurricane Ida, critical recovery projects faced unnecessary obstacles. Our community has faced effort after effort from our Senator that threatened its financial stability, progress, and recovery. Long-standing community traditions, such as the Seafood Festival, have even been targeted for removal from the very community that built them. He’s cut funds from our destroyed local churches, all of our projects, our fisheries market, and much more. 

Most concerning of all, the governance of the levee district appears to be subject to the influence of that political figure: Senator Patrick Connick.

In the most recent election, Senator Connick received only 3% of the vote in our community. That result speaks clearly. The residents of Lafitte, Barataria, and Crown Point overwhelmingly rejected his leadership in our area.

Yet despite that clear message from voters, the levee board responsible for protecting our homes continues to operate under total political influence tied to his office.

Our community is not asking for control. We are asking for representation.

The people who live behind these levees deserve a meaningful voice in the leadership of the district responsible for protecting their homes and families. Flood protection should never be controlled by political influence from someone the community does not trust to represent its interests.

For that reason, we respectfully request the following actions:

1. A full review of the current Lafitte Area Independent Levee District Board and the conduct of its members.

2. Removal of board members whose actions have undermined the mission, stability, or public trust of the district.

3. Structural reform of the board’s governance to ensure the communities most affected by these decisions have fair representation.

If the current appointment system continues to allow political control over the district, we strongly urge the State of Louisiana to consider transitioning the levee board to an elected body, so the people whose homes depend on this protection can directly choose their leadership.

This is not about politics.

This is about protecting our homes, our families, and our future.

The people of Lafitte, Barataria, and Crown Point have endured hurricanes, land loss, and complete devastation. We should not also have to fight for a voice in the institutions designed to protect us. The current board will not even hold a meeting within the community. They hold their meetings 30 minutes away.

Flood protection is public safety.
Public safety must never be politicized.

We respectfully ask for your leadership to ensure the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District is governed in a way that reflects the will and safety of the community it serves.

Respectfully,