THE DAILY IBERIAN
The Iberia Parish Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to support efforts to create one coastal congressional district during reapportionment in the coming months.
The council was scheduled to pass the resolution in support at its meeting Feb. 2. But state Rep. Taylor Barras, D-New Iberia, said the body should wait a few more days to make sure Census numbers released worked in that equation and council members tabled the item until this week.
Barras said there are several congressional plans being discussed in advance of the redistricting/reapportionment process, which takes place every 10 years when Census data are released. The state’s population did not grow at the same rate as the nation’s average meaning Louisiana will lose one of its seven congressional House districts.
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District 6 Councilman Bernard Broussard, who introduced the resolution to the council, said Wednesday night after looking at Census data pertaining to the state and parish, he fully supported moving forward with supporting one coastal congressional district. He said he supports holding the coastal parishes “intact” all the way from St. Bernard Parish to our east to perhaps parts of Calcasieu on the Texas border.
Council members discussed whether it would be beneficial to have more than one member of Congress looking out for the interests of Iberia Parish.
Broussard mentioned two federal coastal studies, one commissioned by U.S. Rep Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, and the other by former U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville. Neither study included Iberia Parish and to many council members was a testament the area could still fall through the cracks even with more than one member of Congress representing the area in Washington.
“The coastal area will become more unified as one congressional district,” Broussard said.
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