Councilwoman Martha Jane Tassin Announces Candidacy For State Representative in District 66
(BATON ROUGE, LA) Metropolitan Councilwoman Martha Jane Tassin announced her candidacy today for the Louisiana Legislature to replace outgoing State Representative Mike Futrell in the House of Representatives, District 66. Futrell is resigning his post to become State Director for Senator-elect David Vitter.
"As a longtime resident of District 66, I know first hand that our area has been well represented by Mike Futrell," said Tassin. "Mike and I have worked closely together on a number of issues important to the constituents we share and, as the next Representative for District 66, I hope to continue his legacy of positive public service in the legislature."
Tassin, a Republican who impressively won re-election to a second term on the East Baton Rouge Parish Metropolitan Council in September, is a retired teacher with 20 years experience in the East Baton Rouge Parish Public School System. In addition to her council duties, she currently serves as the Chairman of the East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission. She resides in Broadmoor Subdivision with her son Bradley. A graduate of Louisiana State University, Martha Jane is the widow of Metro Councilman Mike Tassin.
Tassin outlined her top three priorities for District 66 and all of Louisiana if elected to the legislature. First, she pointed to improving public education as her top priority. "As a former teacher, I know what it‚s like to serve on the front lines teaching our children everyday," she said. "Improving teacher pay is critical, but so are strengthening our statewide accountability program and resisting any attempts to lower standards. Student achievement should be the number one measure of educational excellence in Louisiana."
Continuing the many road and infrastructure projects across the district is next on Tassin's agenda. "Mike Futrell did so much to move Baton Rouge area road projects to the top of the priority list, and I intend to keep them there," she said. "I will fight to make sure we see the long awaited improvements to Airline Highway begin next year and the inclusion of Phase II of the Old Hammond Highway rebuild on the next priority list. Both of these projects are critical to get traffic moving across our parish."
Tassin already has a record of rolling up her sleeves and tackling an impressive number of capital improvement projects while on the Metro Council including upgrades to Goodwood Boulevard, Tom Drive and Choctaw Drive. Tassin also oversaw completion of the new Oak Villa Parkway, which alleviates traffic to and from The Mall at Cortana and opened the Choctaw Drive corridor to greater economic development. According to the Department of Public Works, Tassin made sure 36 streets in District 6 were covered by the popular Half-cent Pothole Tax program.
Bringing more and better paying jobs to the greater Baton Rouge is next among Tassin's top three priorities. "The economic development of our Capitol Region is critical to the future growth of Louisiana," Tassin said. "Just as I have on the Metro Council, I will work with the Department of Economic Development and my contacts within the district to lure the right kind of companies by using innovative approaches that make Baton Rouge an attractive job partner."
Tassin oversaw the creation of an enterprise zone in her Metro Council district that stimulated business growth and housing redevelopment within the zone. She has also actively worked with the Florida Boulevard Economic Development District, Bon Carre‚, local and state officials, and business leaders to rebuild the center of the city as an economic hub.
She is a member of the 2004 Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class, the Board of Directors of Working To Achieve, the CAN DO! Advisory Board, the Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) Advisory Board and the Arthritis Alliance Board of Directors.
District 66 includes some of Baton Rouge's most well known subdivisions including Afton Oaks, Broadmoor, Cedarcrest, Eastgate, Goodwood Homesites, Lake Sherwood Acres, Sherwood Forest, Villa Del Rey and Woodland Ridge. District 66 also includes nearly half the voters represented by Tassin on the Metro Council.
