SHREVEPORT COUNCIL PRESIDENT GREEN COORDINATES BIG COVERUP ON REDISTRICTING

The Shreveport City Council must send the Louisiana Secretary of State a new council redistricting plan by 4:30 p.m. on June 22.

The Shreveport City Council's next work session/administrative conference is Monday, June 13.

The next regular council meeting is the next day, Tuesday, June 14.

The council had a first reading of a redistricting Map 8 B at its last meeting on May 24.

Since that meeting, there have been no public forums by the council on the various redistricting plans, much less Plan 8 B.

The council president, the mayor and/or four members of the council can call special meetings of the council, including public forums.

Under Green's "leadership" and his coalition of three other council members, mum has been the word.

It is reported that Green and council members Tabatha Taylor, Alan Jackson and Jerry Bowman Jr. had a meeting with the council clerk after the May 24 meeting advising the clerk not to post any plans on the clerk's website.

This despite a request by council member John Nickelson at that meeting that the maps be posted.

If that occurred, the meeting violated the Louisiana Open Meetings Law, no matter how casual.

This law requires that any meeting of more than three council members to discuss any council matters must be noticed and be an open meeting.

Word is that a new Map 9 will be the subject of an ordinance amendment at Monday's work session, and that it is a 5-2 majority- black district plan.

Thankfully, three city council members (LeVette Fuller, John Nickelson, Grayson Boucher) had a public meeting on Monday, June 6, to explain the maps. But they did not have Map 9 at the meeting.

This effort reflected good government.

Better yet would have been two special council meetings, one during the work day and one afterwards, to publicly review
the plans in the council chambers at Government Plaza. This is how the Bossier City Council is proceeding on their redistricting plans.

It’s obvious that Council President James Green is coordinating the coverup game with the assistance of his church member Tabatha Taylor, appointed council member Alan Jackson and termed-out member Jerry Bowman Jr.

Green manipulated the legal system when he was arrested last year concerning an incident at an optical shop.

It’s obvious he is doing the same now on the redistricting.

So much for transparency and good government.

Those that have closely followed Green when he served previously on the council and during this term are not surprised.

So much for his Christian rhetoric that Green conveniently pulled out to argue his positions before his election as council president and Jackson's appointment to the council.

Unfortunately, newbie Jackson has drunk the Kool-Aid and been a rubber stamp for Green and his sidekick/council mouthpiece Taylor.

Litigation can be expected if a 5-2 district plan is adopted. Shreveport's black white population numbers favor a 4-3 district plan.