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LAFAYETTE — Legislators spent the last couple of months in Baton Rouge, working to fix the state’s budget woes.
After not doing so during the regular legislative session, state lawmakers did pass a budget during a special session that followed.
While that is now in the rearview, for those who attended One Acadiana’s Legislative Session Recap Thursday morning, there is still plenty of work to be done to right Louisiana’s fiscal future.
Sen. Eric Lafleur, Rep. Jean-Paul Coussan, Rep. Stuart Bishop and Rep. Mike Huval shared with One Acadiana members their thoughts on what took place during session as well as what is possibly ahead for the state. One Acadiana, formerly the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, hosted the event Thursday morning in Lafayette.
One of the major issues facing the legislators is the $1 billion “fiscal cliff” that looms July 1, 2018, the start of a new fiscal year. The legislature passed some temporary 27-month taxes last year, including a 1-cent sales tax increase that generates nearly $900 million. That expires on June 30, 2018.
“We are probably going to be faced with a vote for a short-term extension of that penny,” Bishop said.
Both Bishop and Huval said the initial vote on the 1-cent tax served as a compromise, with the idea that some long-term changes would be put in place.
“When I agreed to vote for the penny it was a compromise,” Huval said. “That 27 months was to give an opportunity for government to make changes, whether it was to raise revenue or make cuts.”
Those changes have not yet come.
“We have yet to get those accomplished,” Bishop said. “There’s no question about it.”
Bishop said that serious looks should be given at cuts from within the government as part of a long-term solution.
“I personally think the (state’s) departments need to find where they can make cuts,” said Bishop, who is a business owner. “In my business, I look at the bottom line. I know where I have to make cuts. We have 16 different departments in the state. I know they can find places where they can cut. If they can’t, I promise you I can go sit down with them and it won’t take me long to find out where they can make cuts.
“We need a smaller government.”
Bishop added that he is not against the creation of more revenue.
“I am OK if we have to do that to get ourselves through where we are right now,” he said, “but we need to come up with smart business answers as we go forward.”
Many revenue-raising measures met opposition during the regular session, most not even getting out of committee.
“If there are 20 different measures to reform,” Lafleur said, “that means 20 different people might be paying more or less in taxes and they all show up.”
Randy Haynie, Chairman of One Acadiana’s Governmental Relations Committee, said that was the case.
“I attended about 80 percent of the hearings,” Haynie said. “Every instrument that came up had a different constituency against it. The business community was there in force. I am not talking about one person there to testify, but 50 people and some days you have more than 100 people there to testify.”
Huval echoed that statement.
“I didn’t get one phone call from back home with someone asking me to please raise their taxes,” Huval said. “The people who were coming to the table were business-minded people saying that their businesses could not afford for those things to actually happen.”
A special session is expected to happen early in ‘18, with the fate of the 1-cent sales that expires latter in the year to serve as a major focus. Anita Begnaud Vice President, Governmental Affairs & Communications for One Acadiana, said One Acadiana will keep a close watch on the process that affects its members.
“We heard from tons of business owners about things that would have been harmful to business,” Begnaud said. “We strongly advocated against those. We want you to know that we are going to remain extremely engaged as we move forward on how the fiscal cliff is addressed.”

What can be learned from the corner office?
For those who have attended One Acadiana’s Lessons from the Corner Office series, the answer is plenty.
One Acadiana, formerly the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, has held events this year that bring business leaders from the area together with its members and investors.
Richard Zuschlag, Chairman and CEO of Acadian Companies, joined the conversation Friday morning, giving One Acadiana members some insight into what it took to create one of the most successful companies in the region’s history.
“The success of Acadian Ambulance,” Zuschlag said, “is a direct tribute to the people of Acadiana. We have employees that have loyalty and dedication. There’s probably not any other place in the country where you can start a company like we did, and have the kind of loyalty, goodwill and hard work that our Cajun family has provided.
“Our company has been successful because of our employees and I am very proud of that.”
A native of Pennsylvania, Zuschlag, after working briefly in Washington, D.C., found his way to Lafayette in 1970, while in his early 20s. He worked with hospitals in Lafayette through a government program, aimed at helping unemployed people earn their high school equivalency and find jobs at the hospital as nurses aids, housekeepers, janitors, etc.
“At the end of that assignment I fell in love with Lafayette,” Zuschlag said. “I looked for a business that I could get into to stay.”
With his connection to the hospitals, Zuschlag learned of the need for a new ambulance service in Lafayette. Leaders in the city initially said youth worked against Zuschlag and his associates.
“They said we were just too young,” Zuschlag said.
After being told no on three separate occasions, Zuschlag worked to convince Lafayette leaders, including sitting outside of Lafayette Mayor Ray Bertrand’s office for five hours. In the end, Zuschlag prevailed.
“Persistence prevailed for me,” Zuschlag told the One Acadiana members. “Persistence got me through.”
Zuschlag started the company with $2,300. The company financed two ambulances at 16 percent to get started, after no banks would offer financing. The company hired eight Vietnam medics.
The company has grown exponentially in nearly 50 years and is now worth millions. Zuschlag stressed that all those years ago, there was simply one goal, one that helped the company grow to what it has become.
“I think one of the reasons that we have been successful,” Zuschlag said, “is that we were in this business to save lives. The money making came later.”
Zuschlag reiterated to those in attendance Friday that Acadiana, through multiple ways, has always been good to his company.
“It has provided us great employees and everyone has always been good to us,” Zuschlag said. “Acadiana was good. Again, I would say it would be difficult to start a business like this in other parts of the country.
“We were in the right place at the right time with a little bit of luck.”
For One Acadiana President and CEO Jason El Koubi, Zuschlag’s story is one of many that shows what Acadiana can do to help businesses thrive. Lessons from the Corner Office brings those stories to members of One Acadiana.
“This series is something we created because there are some extraordinary leaders involved with One Acadiana who care passionately about their community and this region,” El Koubi said. “Through the work that we do, as a business association, we get to understand the intelligence, passion and commitment that these extraordinary individuals have.
“We want to share that with a wider audience.”
Along with Zuschlag’s turn on Friday, One Acadiana has hosted Tabasco President and CEO Tony Simmons and Iberia Bank Executive Vice President Jerry Vascocu. Lenny Lemoine, president and CEO of the Lemoine Company, is expected to speak for the series in September.
“Through the format of this event,” El Koubi said, “you have a very candid and enlightening conversation with some of Acadiana’s most significant and interesting personalities.
“This is an opportunity to get to know our business leaders better, to under stand their stories and learn from the important work that they have done.”

Andy Perrin, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Acadian Museum, announces that the Randal L. Menard will be inducted into the Order of Living Legends July 28 at the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville. The program will begin at 3:00 p.m. and the induction will follow. As established by the Queen’s Royal Proclamation, on the 28th of July of every year there is a "A Day of Commemoration” of the Acadian Deportation, acknowledging Britain's role in the expulsion of French-speaking Acadians from Nova Scotia.
Randal L. Menard has been domiciled in Lafayette Parish his entire life. He is one of seven children born to Lawrence James Menard and Joyce Duhon Menard. Randal is a graduate of Comeaux High School, The University of Southwestern Louisiana, and Louisiana State University’s, Paul M. Hebert Law School. Randal has spent his entire professional career representing accident victims against insurance companies. Prior to attending law school, Randal was employed in the law enforcement profession, working for both The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Department and the Lafayette Police Department. From June 1996 to January 2008, Randal served as the representative of the residents of The Milton Community and the Cities of Youngsville and Broussard on the Lafayette City-Parish Council, being elected to the maximum three terms of office.
Randal is currently a member of Louisiane-Acadie, Inc., a non profit corporation that represents Acadians/Cajuns in Louisiana and encourages networking between Louisiana organizations with similar interests in order to promote a united voice on behalf of Louisiana Acadians, and to seek alliances with Acadian Communities thought the World; and The Acadian Memorial Foundation, Inc., whose mission is to lend financial support and guidance to the Acadian Memorial; and a past member of Lafayette’s International Trade Development Group, an advisory board to Le Centre International de Lafayette. Randal has also cook large gumbos and jambalayas for festivals in Quebec City, Canada, Poitier France, Nantes France, Namur Belgium and was recently invited to cook for a festival in Montoire Sur La Loire, France and for a festival scheduled in 2018 in Paris, France, Bordeaux France and Poitier, France. Randy has cooked and continues to cook for local festivals and fund raising events to support the various causes in the area.

May 3, 1928 ~ July 10, 2017

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 13, 2017 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Eldes Joseph Touchet, 89, who died Monday, July 10, 2017 at his residence. He will be laid to rest at Leroy Community Cemetery with Reverend Louis Richard officiating the services. Pallbearers will be Cameron Touchet, Dylan Touchet, Bryce Gooch, Bobby Fanguy, Zach Prejean and Mark Baudoin. Gift bearers will be Shannon Gooch, Karla Fanguy and Kati Prejean. Lectors for the mass will be Joanie Touchet and Sybil Hebert. Honorary pallbearer will be Barry Toups.
Eldes was born in 1928 and grew up in the small community of Meaux, Louisiana. He attended elementary and high school in Meaux and graduated in 1945. He then enrolled at Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Agriculture. Upon graduating he was appointed as an instructor in the Veterans on the Farm Program, where he taught returning war veterans in the E. Broussard and Maurice area for several years. In September of 1963 he was appointed as a teacher at Meaux High School, where he taught Agriculture, Civics and History. He was also the boys’ basketball coach for many of his years there. In the ensuing years, he earned a Master's +30 from McNeese State University and in August of 1976 was named principal of Meaux High School where he served in that capacity until May of 1980. In August of that year, he made the move to assistant principal at the brand new North Vermilion High School. After one year at North Vermilion High School, he was named principal, replacing Mr. Jules Duhon. Mr. Eldes served as principal of North Vermilion for 10 years, making a positive impact on students, faculty and the entire community. In June of 1991 he moved into the School Board’s Central Office as maintenance supervisor, where he remained until his retirement in December of 2002.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Eurice Guidry Touchet; three daughters, Donna Lege and her husband Keno, Joanie Touchet, and Lisa Touchet; four sons, Marlin Touchet, Patrick Touchet and his wife Kathleen, Neil Touchet, and Kim Touchet and his wife Jodie; five grandchildren, Shannon Gooch, Karla Fanguy, Kati Prejean, Dylan Touchet, and Cameron Touchet; six great grandchildren, Bryce Gooch, Kelsi Fanguy, Kayne Fanguy, Emmy Prejean, Eli Prejean, and Ellen Prejean; sisters, Mildred Hebert and Joyce Lou Baudoin; and sisters-in-law, Delta Touchet and Joy Touchet.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arno “Nin” Touchet and the former Ceba Lege; sisters, Lelias Broussard and Hazel Touchet; and brothers, Lourse Touchet, Linus Touchet, Wilbert Touchet, and Clourse Touchet.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 6:00 PM; Thursday, July 13, 2017 from 8:00 AM until 10:45 AM when the procession will depart for the church.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.