Though crime, congestion and a struggling public transit system threaten continued growth and business development, Mayor Kip Holden says Baton Rouge is faring better than its peers across the country. “At a time when cities across this nation are reeling from the worst economic recession of our lifetimes, Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish are strong, thriving and enthusiastically planning for an even better future,” says Holden, who delivered his State of the City address before the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge this afternoon.
Holden touched on a wide range of issues in his 40-minute address, from the ongoing national search for a new police chief (though he had no new details) to his continued support for an interstate loop around the city. He notes the loop proposal has been on the table for three years. “Unfortunately, while some continue to debate, Baton Rouge has achieved the distinction of being named the city with the worst traffic in America among mid-sized cities,” he says. “I think it’s time to stop studying and take the test.”
The mayor also says he is committed to keeping the Bayou Country Superfest in the city after 2011 despite the Metro Council’s decision to strip its $300,000 allocation to the event. The two-day country music concert had an estimated $30 million economic impact in 2010. Read the full story here. —Steve Sanoski
