Analysis: White voters led defeat of bond issue "Holden remains popular figure"
by GREG GARLAND - Advocate (excerpt)

Mayor-President Kip Holden’s proposed $901 million capital improvement tax package failed Saturday because of a lopsided “no” vote in suburban, predominantly white areas of East Baton Rouge Parish, according to an analysis of precinct vote totals. Voter turnout was substantially higher in predominantly white precincts, and the votes tended to be a reverse of those cast in predominantly African-American precincts, where the tax package enjoyed its strongest support. The tax package failed with 64 percent of voters against the proposal and 36 percent in favor, according to complete but unofficial returns.

In precincts with 95 percent or more black voter registration, the tax package was backed by a vote of 73 percent in favor to 27 percent against. But the 3,042 voters who cast ballots in those precincts represented a turnout of only 15 percent. In contrast, voters in precincts with 95 percent or more white voter registration rejected the tax package by a vote of 77 percent against to 23 percent in favor. The 8,204 people who voted in the predominantly white precincts represented a 38 percent turnout — more than double the turnout in the predominantly black precincts.

But, (Wayne Parent, an LSU political science professor) said, Holden remains a popular figure with lots of political capital. “What interests me about Mayor Holden is that he is willing to take chances with his popularity,” Parent said. “He clearly did that with this, and I think he’ll do that again.” (Greg Rigamer, owner of GCR & Associates, a strategic consulting firm based in New Orleans) said he thinks economic anxieties among voters had as much to do with the decision to reject the taxes as anything. “I wouldn’t see it as a commentary on the mayor,” Rigamer said.