Bar Owners, Contractors and Developers Line Up to Donate to Batt, But Money’s Not Everything In District A

Jay’s website says he is “offering himself in service to the people of New Orleans.” With the release of Batt’s campaign report, we’re getting a picture of who expects service from Jay. First, the expected. Urban Systems, Volkert & Associates, Boh family members, Linfield, Hunter & Junius, Stuart Consulting Group, N-Y Associates, all of whom profit from large public infrastructure projects, gave generously to Batt. Batt also received $ 500 from Bourbon St. bar owner Earl Berhardt’s the Tropical Isle (home of the “hand-grenade”cocktail) but that was only half what Isle gave Batt in 2006. However, Batt’s report shows no donation from Bernhardt’s the Funky Pirate, which gave Batt $ 500 in the last election. Batt also got donations from Mulate’s and two alcoholic beverage distributors.

Attachment:   Batt Campaign Contributions 1/1/09-10/29/09

Two of the New Orleans City Council's so-called "reformers," who were elected after Hurricane Katrina, aren't running for re-election this spring.

But that doesn't mean they're not a part of the upcoming election.

Voters in Mid-City, Lakeview and Uptown, among other neighborhoods, in Council District A will either choose a new council member, or the man who held the seat before the storm.

“Recycling the same old politicians won't get us a new start,” said Susan Guidry, a lawyer and neighborhood activist who is hoping to take up where Councilwoman Shelley Midura leaves off.

“I hope people do not sit back in their Lay-z-boys and let name recognition be the reason that they cast a vote,” Midura said while endorsing Guidry in the race Monday.

Link URL:   wwltv.com (includes video clip)

She's not making nice with old foe

From the Times-Picayune:

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
By David Hammer and Michelle Krupa
Staff writers

Shelley Midura won her seat on the City Council in a knock-down, drag-out fight with Jay Batt in 2006. Now that she's leaving the District A seat and Batt is trying to get it back, Midura's got a parting shot for her old foe.

She's endorsing Susan Guidry, a political outsider who once fought against one of Batt's biggest supporters.

"The circumstances are very similar now," Midura, a Democrat, said about the upcoming race pitting Republican Batt against Republican Virginia Blanque and Democrat Susan Guidry.

Batt "was beatable then, and he's beatable now," Midura said. "I believe the future rests with new citizen leaders, not the reconditioned politicians of the past."

Link URL:   Times Picayune

The first candidates' forum in the District A City Council race was notable for an unlikely reason: Everyone was on their best behavior.

Four years after Shelley Midura unseated Jay Batt in a slug-fest, the four candidates running to replace Midura, who is not seeking a second term, didn't even address each other Monday night, much less criticize each other.