RECALL EFFORT - There were two press conferences held at government plaza in downtown Shreveport yesterday. One was by a group who are organizing a recall of city councilwoman LeVette Fuller who represents District B for her recent deciding vote against a proposal to have a binding memorandum of understanding between the city and a developer who wants to build a mixed-use residential, commercial and recreational project along Cross Bayou just north of downtown. The developer wants the city to acquire 88 acres to facilitate the estimated $1 Billion-dollar-plus project. The memorandum would’ve allowed Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins to openly negotiate with the developer but Fuller, a Democrat has said she felt the plan lacked details and sided with 3 Republican councilmen and voted no. The recall group is led by Pastor Linus Mayes whose church is in Fuller’s district.
"We want Miss Fuller to defend her record of continuously voting against jobs, against growth, agiainst the interests of African-American people, and the poor," Mayes stated during the press event.
Pastor Mayes was referring to the estimated 14,000 jobs the developer Gateway Consortium has said the Cross Bayou Point project would create. During her press conference, Councilman Fuller defended her recent vote. When asked about the recall initiative that has become a mix of partisan and racial politics, Fuller had this to say:
"We need to understand why they are trying to slander me instead of bringing more facts about their project," Fuller said. "Who places blame outside when they haven't done their homework?"
Pastor Mayes and recall supporters refused to take questions from the media. Councilwoman Fuller announced she'll be holding a series of meetings with constituents regarding her voting record and council business. She will finish with a town hall on March 14th. Her District B seat includes downtown, Highland and Stoner Hill areas which historically, has been considered a swing vote on the council. The organizers wanting to recall Fuller will have to gather signatures from about 5,400 registered voters in District B.