Blanchardville: Lafayette’s Downtown Development Leviathan

Louisiana is addicted to expanding government. Every single year, we see growth in our state and local political subdivisions. Don’t confuse “growth” with progress. Government growth is nothing more than the expansion of coercive tools used to deprive one group of something for the” betterment” of another. Will it ever stop? Join us as we explore recent trends in government growth and illustrate how things often do not turn out as planned.

Louisiana Legislature Responsible for Creating More Government

The Louisiana legislature is the entity most responsible for growing government in our State. They achieve this through bloated budgets, increased taxation measures, and the creation of more entities. Thankfully, they are a part-time body, even though they have been called into session more frequently in recent years.

For whatever reason, our state legislature appears to believe it can resolve local government issues by creating redundant and unnecessary districts. On average, our state legislatures create around ten new government bodies/districts PER YEAR! Many of which are entrusted to perform tasks that are already within the purview of local political subdivisions.

For example, during the 2021 Regular Session the following were amongst the new districts created.

• The Old Goodwood Crime Prevention and Neighborhood Improvement District (Act 154 / HB115 by Paula Davis [RINO 3/10]).
• The Plantation Trace Crime Prevention and Improvement District (Act 264 / HB257 by Barbara Freiberg [RINO 2/10]).
• The Vista Park Crime Prevention District (Act 201 / HB332 by Matthew Willard [D 1/10]).
• The Delta Agriculture Research and Sustainability District (Act 337 / HB647 by Travis Johnson [D 4/10]).
• And the Plank Road Economic Development District (Act 221 / SB227 – Regina Barrow [D 2/10]).

More and More in 2022

Our left-brained legislators just kept creating during the 2022 Regular Session. There, we saw the birth of a whole new batch of government agencies:

• The Bouligny Improvement District (Act 105 / HB148 by Aimee Freeman [D 2/10]).
• The Old Jefferson Crime Prevention and Improvement District (Act 106 / HB151 – by Rick Edmonds [R 8/10]).
• The Delta Bike Trail Commission (Act 336 / HB469 by Travis Johnson [D 4/10]).
• The Louisiana Governor’s Mansion Commission (Act 187 / HB770 – Vinney St. Blanc [RINO 5/10]).
• The LaSalle Cultural Corridor District (Act 401 / HB895 by Tanner Magee [RINO 2/10]).
• The Sagefield Crime Prevention District (Act 240 / SB237 by Cleo Fields [D 2/10]).
• And the Baker Main Street Economic Development District (Act 768 / SB475 by Regina Barrow [D 2/10]).

Can’t forget 2023

The 2023 Regular Session was no exception to the creationi of even more government. Here are a few new government departments from that year:

• North Lake Charles Economic Development District (Act 306 / HB335 by Wilford Carter [D 3/10]).
• The Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District (Act 166 / HB357 by Mike Huval [RINO 3/10]).
• The Juvenile Justice District (Act 145 / HB359 by Greg Miller [RINO 4/10] ).
• The University Security District (Act 175 / HB565 by Barbara Freiberg [RINO 2/10]).
• The Evangeline Economic Development Authority (Act 282 / HB624 by Rhonda Butler [R 6/10]).
• And a special medical district in St. Martin Parish (Act 204 / SB76 – Fred Mills [RINO 2/10]).

Why stop in 2024?

Building on prior years “successes“ the 2024 Regular Session gave birth to even more agencies!

• The Ferriday Downtown Entertainment District (Act 200 / HB182 by Travis Johnson [D 4/10])
• The Tall Timbers Crime Prevention and Improvement District (Act 419 / HB225 by Delisha Boyd [D 4/10]).
• The Shreveport I-20 Economic Development District (Act 783 / HB295 by Steven Jackson [D 3/10]).
• And the Renaissance Districts in certain parishes (Act 767 / SB421 by Jay Luneau [D 1/10]).

Even more in 2025!

Lastly, the most recent 2025 Regular Session gave us still more new government agencies to solve all of society’s ills.

• The Cross Gates Subdivision Crime Prevention and Neighborhood Improvement District (Act 49 / HB55 by Paula Davis [RINO 3/10]).
• An economic development district in the City of Jeanerette (Act 138 / HB97 by Marcus Bryant [D 2/10]).
• An economic development district in the City of St. Martinville (Act 141 / HB107 by Marcus Bryant [D 2/10]).
• The Hotel Francis District (Act 260 / HB267 by Jeremy Lacombe [RINO 3/10]).
• The Cypress Point Improvement District (Act 491 / HB282 by Dixon McMakin [R 7/10]).
• The Iberia Parish Airport Authority (Act 211 / HB613 by Beau Beaullieu [R 7/10]).
• And the Claiborne Parish Airport District (Act 214 / HB651 by Rashid Young [D 4/10]).

Local Bills

The “pet projects” of legislators often receive less scrutiny from their colleagues because they are considered “local bills” or are believed not to have an impact outside the local area. All you have to do is proclaim this is a local bill properly advertised, and you generally get a free pass. But do we need all this additional bureaucracy to address crime and economic development? And if all these added districts are effective at fulfilling their desired purpose. Why don’t we simply remove the legislative barriers that prohibit local political subdivisions, such as our parishes and municipalities, from creating and abolishing them at the local level?

Diffusion of power is not the intended consequence of this model. Instead, it is the diffusion of responsibility and opportunity for personal gain that are the driving factors. After all, if local politicians were to set up local districts and raise taxes to fund a limited initiative, it would undoubtedly face pushback and have political consequences. The outcomes are quite different if unelected appointees carry out the same scheme at an obscure board meeting to which no one pays attention. No, we are not specifically talking about the Lafayette Parish Convention and Visitors Center at this time.

Harry Browne addressed why government grows and grows and grows in his book “Why Government Doesn’t Work“. Browne stated:

“The bad consequences of a government program usually don’t show up immediately. And the delay may be long enough to hide the connection between the program and its results.

So government never has to say it’s sorry – never has to take responsibility for the misery it causes. Instead, it can blame everything on personal greed, profit-hungry corporations, and the “private sector.” And the government’s cure for the problems is to impose bigger programs, more regulation, and higher taxes.”

Lafayette’s Downtown Development Authority

It has only been five years since the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) successfully established five taxing districts in Lafayette. Something former Mayor-President Josh Guillory was unable to prevent. At that time, the district boundaries were drawn explicitly to levy additional taxes without a vote of the people.

As it turns out, the DDA owes its very existence to Act 194 of the 1983 Regular Session. Through that legislation, a special district was created with the express purpose of halting property value deterioration in downtown Lafayette. The DDA was the governing body created to carry out these purposes, and it was granted authority as outlined in Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4625(F), except for the power of expropriation.

While the DDA was granted taxing authority, it was subject to the approval of the Lafayette City Council, and the amount of the ad valorem levy was capped at 10 mills. That funding mechanism didn’t even come into play for the district until 1993. The idea being that if the authority were successful at halting deteriorating property values, revenues for the district would also increase with the rising property values. That didn’t happen!

When Government is Involved…

To quote Harry Browne again:

“When government is involved, nothing ever seems to work out as intended.”

The same rings true for DDA. Due to its inability to improve property values and stay within its means, it has continued to raise taxes. The property millage was increased to 15.06 mills in 2022, above the 10.00 mill “cap” established by statute.

The DDA in June 2025 passed a resolution seeking $2,450,000 from the Lafayette Consolidated Government for the fiscal year 2025–2026.  Those monies are being sought for:

• Downtown-Urban Core Redevelopment Plan: $500,000.
• Vermilion Garage Bathroom Upgrade: $500,000.
• Downtown Security Infrastructure: $50,000. (for yet another crime camera network)
• Cypress Tree Pruning / Root Work: $50,000.
• Cathedral Pedestrian Safety: $50,000.
• Music Museum Streetscape Design: $100,000.
• Vermilion Streetscape Phase 1a: $1,200,000.
• Downtown Infrastructure Improvements: $300,000.
• Downtown Drainage: $890,000.

According to DDA’s financial report for the fiscal year ending in 2023, its total revenues were $561,363.00. However, its operational expenditures totaled $465,721.00, and capital outlay expenditures amounted to $508,121.00. It is now seeking almost five times the amount of revenue it collected and what was spent in 2023.

The District is Out of Control

What quietly began as a small district aimed at stopping deteriorating property values downtown has grown, like every government program, into a leviathan hell bent on becoming its own autonomous city. Under the leadership of Kevin Blanchard, downtown Lafayette, also known as “Blanchardville,” is expanding its scope beyond its original intent and, in some respects, beyond what it can legally do.

In September 2024, Blanchard submitted a $800,000 proposal from Block by Block to his Executive Committee, which included an initial startup capital cost of $65,000.00. According to Blanchard, in return, they would receive:

“…10 full-time employees – 7 entry-level folks, one homeless outreach case worker, and two supervisors. The supervisor positions are not office positions – they are also out in the field. This would give us a schedule that has an average of 7 people on the streets every day – a low of 4 on Sundays, with up to 9 people on weekends. That’s about double the size of the force that I had put down on the back of a napkin. The 10-person team is about what they see in other communities and downtowns our size, looking for the services we are looking for. That’s the suggested size – so let’s not get sticker-shock just yet; let’s see if we can find some money.”

Blanchard continued:

“I had a great meeting with Councilman [Kenneth] Boudreaux Monday. He was very supportive of the plan, loved the use of the EDD funds – he gets that downtown retailers would love to see tangible evidence of that penny being put to good use everyday. I pitched that the EDD cover half of the cost and LCG cover the other. That is a steep ask, but I think it’s reasonable. Even if we are only able to secure partial match from LCG, we could build a great program. I have also had a good conversation with Councilman [Thomas] Hooks. I will continue to shop the idea to the rest of the council and get their buy-in as we go. My pitch is that we “reprogram” the funds that LCG already spends downtown – we just put it into one bucket.

I have also had a good conversation with LCVC. Ben Berthelot said that his board is starting to talk about getting active in homelessness issues where it makes sense for them – this could be the way they plug into that issue. They are also very interested in the marketing/hospitality opportunities this new service provides — you’ve got teams in uniforms, with big push carts, all with advertising inserts and other opportunities on social media. I’m not sure how much would be reasonable, but we will have that conversation.”

Block by Block, and Buck by Buck

DDA did ultimately enter into a contract with Block by Block. Under that agreement, Block by Block will provide environmental services, such as litter and debris removal (Gus probably appreciates the help), weed control, cleaning, handbill and graffiti removal, landscaping, as well as patrols, first aid and CPR administration, panhandling intervention, homeless outreach, safety escorts, and vehicle assistance. Those services presently cost $32,256.33 per month (or 387,075.96 per annum).

Boudreaux and Blanchard both seem content with illegally spending the economic development district’s money on costs not authorized under the law. Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:9038.36 limits the use of funds to “…such costs are reasonably related or attributable to an approved economic development plan.” Operating expenses are clearly outside the scope.

Meanwhile, Ben Berthelot, the Executive Director of the Lafayette Parish Convention and Visitors Commission, continues to seek out new activities. The LCVC Board created its own special district and recently announced plans to build a $ 40,000,000 indoor sports complex in Lafayette. He also wants to become more involved in addressing homelessness. All under the guise of “tourism.” Perhaps that is the reason he doesn’t feel his annual compensation package of $235,390.00 is enough. He wants double that! And they all want you to pay for it!

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