Top East Baton Rouge mayoral candidates Sharon Weston Broome and Ted James went head-to-head on Wednesday night, debating everything from infrastructure and climate change, to the new City of St. George and struggling public schools. Nearly every issue discussed was tied to the city’s economic development, with the two candidates presenting different visions.
According to the debate’s moderator, local journalist Stephanie Riegel, East Baton Rouge’s median household income is $62,000, though 41% of residents make below $50,000 annually.
Joquina Reed, a resident from the Garden District who attended the debate, called the effects of income inequality in her neighborhood “disturbing.”
“Two blocks away from where I live, the life expectancy goes down tremendously,” she added.
Incumbent Weston-Broome said that economic growth, especially in disinvested communities, has been her top priority since she came to office eight years ago. The most recent Louisiana Economic Forecast suggests she’s had success. Thanks to a booming construction industry, East Baton Rouge is projected to bring in over 16,000 jobs in the next two years, making it the fastest-growing metro area in the state in terms of jobs.
Weston-Broome repeatedly pointed to a $200 million Amazon robotics facility in North Baton Rouge, which she says created 1,400 jobs and revitalized a section of Airline Highway.
“My vision remains and will continue to be that Baton Rouge will be the best mid-sized city in America,” she said.
James doesn’t see it that way. Throughout his campaign, he has consistently characterized the city as stagnant, saying that's why he “couldn’t wait four more years” to run for mayor-president.
“Yes we got Amazon, but we lost Walk-ons, and we Lost Republic Finance,” he said.
James cited studies by the Milken Institute, an independent economic think tank. The institute ranked Baton Rouge 21st in the country for best-performing cities in 2015. It's now the 155th. James wants to develop a comprehensive economic master plan, taking a page out of Detroit’s playbook.
The city took a more holistic approach to revitalize its downtown area, using a mix of public and private investment.
“They invested in those community organizations, those nonprofits that we have very strong in this parish,” James said. “That is not happening today.”
Riegel, a former editor with the Baton Rouge Business Report blamed “developer-driven projects” as the major hurdle to projects in the city. When private companies take the lead, she says it allows them to skirt regulations and goals administered by the City Planning Commission and Metro City Council.
“We do have good plans but they are not enforced. How can a mayor effectively make a difference in this space?” Riegel asked.
Broome sees the answer as shifting city planning and zoning responsibilities from the Metro City Council to the mayor’s office. James believes his master plan would provide clear frameworks for developers to work under.
Another pressing issue regarding economic development is the city’s brain drain. The Advocate reported that East Baton Rouge lost 3,384 people between the ages of 25 to 34 in 2022, the largest driver of outmigration in the city.
“I know a lot of my classmates have had to leave the Baton Rouge area for other opportunities,” said Solomon Lee who graduated from LSU in 2019 and now works in project management. “I’ve been fortunate enough not to have to leave…[but] even going all the way down to the high school level, people have had to leave the capitol region.”
For both candidates, a lot of what goes into retaining young graduates like Lee boils down to increasing the quality of life, including more greenspaces and an attractive downtown. As a former official in President Biden’s Small Business Administration, James also sees a solution in providing ample resources for young entrepreneurs while also facilitating communication between job training programs with recruiters.
“Technical help, access to capital,“ he said. “We need to create a stronger small business ecosystem.”
Broome said she’s already working to attract young professionals, thanks to marketing campaigns and a $1.8 million grant to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber to bolster tourism and a younger workforce. She also described a “vision for a thriving downtown riverfront,” with new developments at places like Southern University in North Baton Rouge and LSU.
Lee didn’t come away from the debate leaning toward one candidate or another, but felt more hopeful about the city’s future. “We got some answers to questions I think all of us in Baton Rouge have had,” he said.
Reed began the night undecided, but left supporting Broome.
“I think some of the questions he’s [James] asking are really important,” she said. “[But] it feels too critical at this junction to throw my hat in with someone who hasn’t proven what they can do.”
Both Democrats will be able to expand on their economic plans at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber on Oct. 10. They’ll be joined by Republicans Sid Edwards and Steve Myers.
