They can build a bridge: The State Bond Commission has approved a deal aimed at funding two major bridge projects in South Louisiana. The Department of Transportation and Development says it needs the cash to keep paying for construction of the John James Audubon Bridge connecting St. Francisville to New Roads and work on the Huey P. Long bridge in Jefferson Parish. The Bond Commission today approved the department’s plan to raise up to $300 million.
Giving the Crescent City the business: More than $400,000 has been pledged by the private sector for a new economic development model in New Orleans — a figure that’s expected to trigger a $2 million match committed by the city. Pamela Senatore, a vice president with the Horizon Initiative, said she’s provided Mayor Ray Nagin’s office with the pledge and commitment letters. City officials will review the documentation, and once Nagin is satisfied that the funding is secure, he’s expected to request the City Council to pass an ordinance making available the $2 million previously committed by the city for the proposed public-private partnership. A public-private approach to attracting and retaining businesses is among the reforms being pushed in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. Some local leaders say the model has had proven success in other parts of the country.
