State Rep. Joel Robideaux ‘Frustrated’ With Reaction To Police Pay Increase Bill

State. Rep. Joel Robideaux expressed frustration at comments made by Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel in which he opposed a bill proposed by Robideaux that would provide a two percent pay increase for the Lafayette Police Department.

Robideaux said he has often filed bills in the legislature on behalf of Durel and the City-Parish administration--including at least one in the current session relating to Lafayette Central Park--so he was surprised to dear Durel speak so vehemently against the pay increase legislation on 'Lafayette Live' Thursday.

"If my frustration is coming out, it's obvious why," Robideaux said. "It's just because it seems very disingenuous, very hypocritical that when it's something that's important to Durel and [Chief Administrative Officer Dee Stanley] and the administration, they're more than happy to use us to file local bills for them, but when it's something they don't like...this pay raise for police, the first thing they say is, 'What's the state doing meddling in the local business and local government?' And that's just to me misleading the public on the way the whole process works."

Robideaux said using the excuse of opposing a state mandate ignores the fact that everyone has a right to file a bill through their legislator.

"Everyone has a right to have a local bill filed to change the way local government works," Robideaux said. "It doesn't mean everyone has to support it--and ultimately that's going to determine the fate of the bill, but just to suggest that they don't have the right to have these bills filed is wrong. Just come out and say, 'We don't want the bill. Pull the bill.'"

To listen to the full interview with Robideaux, click on the 'Play' button below.