St Tammany Chamber CEO Lacey Osborne reviewed her organizations position on the proposed moratorium in an email sent to chamber members.
She wrote that Parish President Cooper brought the infrastructure issue, a concern for many years, to the forefront with his recently proposed moratorium. She said they acknowledge and appreciate the renewed attention and emphasis recently expressed by the Parish Council.
In the month of March, the chamber organized two meetings of major citizens groups, home builders, four parish council members, and President Cooper to discuss mutual concerns of increasing traffic and flooding. She said there was and is no question that all citizens want infrastructure to keep ahead of, not behind, development.
Osborne also wrote that the Chamber’s Board, through input from the general membership and their Advocacy & Public Policy Committee, carefully evaluated and agreed to oppose the Parish President’s proposed moratorium. Following last Thursday’s over two-hour debate among the council and citizens presenting in favor of, and in opposition to, the proposed moratorium, it was amended. But she says the chamber will remain steadfast in opposition to any parish-wide moratorium, based on its direct harm to local home builders, their employees, downstream small businesses, and its indirect harm to the parish’s growing fiscal crisis.
Osborne also pointed out a long-standing shortage of affordable housing for retirees, young families, service providers, and those transitioning to plant roots here, all of whom she said make up vital components of the population’s future health and prosperity.
