House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue says the State Bond Commission did not pause tens of millions in funding for projects in Orleans Parish over the city’s vaccine policy. Zeringue says the decision was made because out of 64 parishes Orleans was receiving a quarter of construction funding.
Zeringue points out that six of the 22 projects slated for Orleans were ultimately approved, including a 39 million dollar Sewage and Water Board project.
The vote to pause that funding for a month was held immediately after the Superdome saw 28 million dollars in line of credit paused over objections to the Saints’ vaccine ticket policy. Zeringue says the Dome was a separate issue that did not influence their decision regarding funding for construction projects in Orleans Parish.
“The motion came on the heels of that because those projects were up for discussion on the meeting agenda,” said Zeringue.
The Edwards Administration believes the Bond Commission’s decision to delay 30-million dollars in state financing for New Orleans projects is the result of the mayor’s policy that calls for proof of vaccination to enter many businesses.
But Zeringue disagrees.
“It’s a mischaracterization of the intent of this effort to reevaluate and look at a lot of these projects,” said Zeringue.
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