What you’ve heard is true. It's 2010, and Jay Batt is running in District A again, hoping to bring his "who-you-know" politics back to the City Council. Though Jay lost the last election because he didn’t understand the importance of neighborhoods, you can expect to see a slick, expensive campaign touting the "new, neighborhood-friendly Jay Batt.”

Don’t be fooled.

Jay and his supporters would like nothing more than a return to the policies of his first term, where Jay’s buddies always managed to get what they wanted, including permits for new bars, consulting contracts on video poker, and a $250,000 “voter education” contract for a childhood friend and campaign advisor.


2006 Runoff Election results for District A Council Seat, when Batt was defeated for a 2nd term by Shelley Midura.

Despite running for the District A Council seat in 2002 with a promise to end “shakedowns,” Jay spent his time on the Council helping developers break the moratorium on new hotels in the French Quarter and allowing even more bars into the University area. Jay spent thousands of his campaign funds on big meals in fancy restaurants. And when it came time to get City vehicles, Jay ordered the most expensive vehicle of all: a $37,000 fully loaded Ford Expedition.

So here we go again.

Jay’s supporters are already planning fundraisers and ordering their Batman masks, and they hope to "deter others from jumping in" the race with their fundraising efforts. But not to worry AnybodyButBatt is still here too, and we plan to continue to bring you the facts behind Jay’s claims and actions, just as we did in 2006.

We'll be keeping this website updated, and just as before, we welcome your thoughts and comments on the election and the candidates. Jay Batt will have opposition in this race, and our goal is to insure that the next District A Councilmember will keep the reforms coming and the neighborhoods rebuilding. Jay Batt is not that candidate.

Jay had all the advantages of incumbency, big donors and major endorsements last time. He still lost.

Since Katrina, the landscape has shifted. The last election was won not by money (Jay had a ton) but by active citizen participation. The political alliances that Jay is banking on are out of power. Neighborhoods, which know Jay's reputation for ignoring them, are the new political powerhouse. So let's go forward with the progressive changes implemented by the new Council and not Battward to the days of patronage and big money politics.

For now, we have stickers for the rear windows of your car. Drop us a line at AnybodyButBatt@yahoo.com and we’ll get some stickers out to you. And if you support what we're doing, send us a contribution at AnybodyButBatt, 757 St. Charles Ave., Suite 304, New Orleans LA 70130. Attachment:   2006 District A Election Results by Precinct