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Nic Hunter

I am running for the office of Mayor of Lake Charles, Louisiana

Goals

My goals for Lake Charles will help our city to continue our growth together.

Lakefront Development

One of our many natural treasures is the Lake Charles lakefront, one of the most beautiful lakes along the Gulf Coast. WE WILL TURN DIRT ON THE LAKEFRONT DURING MY TERM AS MAYOR. We will present a project that is feasible, one that the community can get behind, and one that locals can invest in. Mixed use residential and commercial property is key to any lakefront development. The city should maintain ownership of the land and agree to long term management leases. Moving forward in this way allows the city to keep a certain level of control and accountability not only today but in the distant future.

Taxes & Budget

Lake Charles has one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation – this hurts taxpayers and local businesses. It is the responsibility of the mayor’s office to focus on fiscal leanness & accountability. The people of Lake Charles deserve a true commitment to understanding budget priorities and their funding sources. Instead of increasing sales taxes, we must focus on attracting more business into Lake Charles’s ever-changing economy. At the same time, we must continue to focus on attracting a more diverse workforce to add to the city’s tax rolls in place of continual increases to property taxes.

Infrastructure

A commitment to infrastructure is a commitment to the future and economic growth of Lake Charles. Through better prioritization of our budget, we can focus on critical infrastructure needs like drainage, roads, water, and sewerage. We will continue our push for partnerships across multiple agencies and employ all our available resources to achieve these infrastructure improvements. Like other booming communities, we cannot be afraid to invest in ourselves and our future with the use of revenue bonds. Bond rates are at all-time lows and can be an important step in achieving large scale capital improvement goals. The time for these improvements is now. With each passing year, the cost of these projects escalates and their feasibility becomes even more difficult.

Drainage

Large scale capital improvements projects combined with better utilization of green spaces will have an impact on our drainage crisis. Green spaces achieve multiple goals as they are aesthetically pleasing and serve a multitude of public-use purposes – bike and walking paths. Green spaces also act as temporary retention areas during heavy downpours. We can tackle the critical drainage improvement projects in partnership with the Police Jury and drainage district.

Roads

Lake Charles is experiencing one of the largest economic booms in the entire state. This unprecedented growth calls for a focus on a master plan that not only considers today and tomorrow, but 10 years from now. Using foresight will alleviate many problems in the short and long-term futures of the city. Understanding TODAY what thoroughfares will need attention in the future is essential. Purchasing right of way today versus waiting until the road improvements are needed will keep projects feasible and aid in keeping costs under control.

Curbside Recycling

Under my administration, we will allow citizens to participate in a curbside recycling program. There will be a cost, but it will only be incurred by those who participate in the program.

Commitment to Fire Protection & Law Enforcement

With a growing population and economy, we must ensure that our people and assets are always protected. One way to ensure quality and responsible help from our fire protection and law enforcement professionals is to pay them well.