Tarver promotes I

At a Shreveport mayoral forum in the Allendale community Saturday that questioned candidates on the city’s infrastructure, disenfranchised neighborhoods and the impact of state legislation on those matters, state senator Greg Tarver advocated for the I-49 Inner City Connector that is planned to cut through his native Allendale neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Shreveport City Councilwoman LeVette Fuller denounced the connector and cast doubt on the Metropolitan Planning Commission's ability to determine if it will provide benefits to those it most impacts.

In the question asked by the moderator about the interstate connection that is set to cut through several Shreveport communities including Allendale and will ultimately connect Winnipeg, Canada with New Orleans, the candidates were reminded of a study that says "freeways built through cities negatively impact education, health, policing, housing, infrastructure and local business."

"Would you, as mayor, support the MPC reviewing this project from a land-use standpoint?" asked moderator Dorothy Wiley to the Shreveport mayoral candidates Saturday.

"Do I think our current MPC is the right group to do it? Absolutely not," said Fuller.

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"The MPC is a part of the 20-30 year leadership failure that has led to the amount of blight you see in the inner-city," Fuller said, adding that the freeway's pending construction has caused governmental and financial institutions to put a hold on offering resources to prospective entrepreneurs and homeowners in Allendale, a practice known as redlining.

"We need to have a real planning assessment done by people with a comprehensive and neutral ideal of what needs to happen for this city," Fuller added.

Tarver, who had the most visibile supporters in attendance with more than 20 people wearing his campaign shirts, admitted to his role in bringing the connector through Shreveport and believes it will help bring economic development opportunities to the area.

"I’m not going to pull any punches with you all. I’m going to be honest - I support the inner city connector. I put $100 million with a group of senators from this area to be part of the inner city connection," Tarver said. "Let me tell you about Lakeside and Allendale - it’s a lot of blighted areas. The city owns the majority of the property because people do not pay their taxes. It’s blighted, grass has grown up, houses are torn down and houses are falling down. We have serious problems in our community. The inner city connector will help develop - I think - this area. Some of you may have been here five years. I’ve been here all of my life in Lakeside and Allendale. My family has been here. I want to see Lakeside and Allendale grow. Lakeside and Allendale have been ignored for many years. Lakeside and Allendale is one piece of the block. We have the whole city to think about and I think this inner city connection will be good for the whole city,” Tarver said.

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Only seven of the ten Shreveport mayoral candidates attended this forum, which was hosted by Allendale Strong at J.S. Clark Elementary School. Incumbent Mayor Adrian Perkins and challengers Darryl R Ware II and Melvin Slack were absent. Retired police officer and challenger Tracy Mendels was 50 minutes late.

Other issues the moderator asked the candidates about Saturday include the conflicts between Shreveport's Master Plan and the state's Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the water and street infrastructure problems of the area, climate change's likely intense impact on North Louisiana, and the historical disenfranchisement of Shreveport neighborhoods like Allendale.

At one point, Mendels suggested blight and litter could be eradicated in the city by assigning youth criminal offenders to clean up as punishment, while Lauren Ray Anderson, who is a self-described civil rights attorney, partially agreed.

"I’m not in favor of involuntary servitude but a lot of people at CCC are locked down 23 hours a day and would love to get out to clean up," said Anderson.

Watch the entire forum below:

Kendrick Dante writes for the USA Today Network and is a government watchdog reporter in Shreveport, Louisiana. He enjoys cooking, concerts, and content. Email him at [email protected] or connect on Twitter @kendrickdante.