Shreveport councilwoman Tabatha Taylor had a busy day yesterday (Tues.) at the council meeting and then afterwards in her role as self-appointed city crime monitor.
She arrived wearing a Southern University jacket, which was obviously a juvenile reaction to the recognition of the council of the Grambling cheerleader squad. (BTW--why is the council recognizing a school not in the city, much less the parish?)
To make matters worse, the mayor of Grambling was at the meeting. And never mind that Councilman Alan Jackson is an employee of Grambling.
Taylor has an undergraduate degree and a masters from Southern. Evidently, she did not take any classes in humility, graciousness, or civic politeness.
She wore the jacket for the entire meeting.
Then Taylor voted against the confirmation of Tom Dark as Chief Administrative Officer, citing incorrectly differences in pay between men and women at city hall. Seemingly Taylor wanted finance director Fields-Jones to be paid the same as her supervisor Dark.
Taylor had previously abstained from the appointment of a highly qualified assistant city attorney. Her abstention did NOT follow the council rules of procedure and she provided no excuse for her failure to confirm this person. Of course, she still has a very big chip on her shoulder because her BFF Ron Lattier is still not the city attorney.
Her vote was a continuation of the sore loser mentality by Taylor, James Green, and Alan Jackson who lost their clout on the second floor when former mayor Adrian Perkins was not re-elected. Collectively they have led an effort to derail the Arceneaux administration.
Both Taylor and Green raised petty objections to Dark and had to be repeatedly advised by interim city attorney Zelda Tucker that they were totally wrong in their thinking.
Then Taylor tried a last-minute amendment to the streets, blight and lighting ordinances that have been on the council's agenda for over a month. Actually, this was the sixth meeting the ordinances had been on the agenda.
Taylor's "reasoning" for her amendment was confusing at best and downright ridiculous at worst.
Thankfully council member Ursula Bowman and others insisted that any last-minute amendment be in writing. And Bowman questioned why the last-minute change at the regular meeting versus a work session.
The list of streets proposed for repair is attached. This list was prepared in 2020. Taylor's antics have delayed repairs of many streets in her district. So much for representing her constituents as she constantly preaches.
After the meeting Taylor rushed to the latest crime scene, still sporting her Southern University jacket.
This shooting was in Queensborough which is not in her district.
Taylor is a constant at crime scenes throughout the city. Her presence surely is a distraction to police officers doing their job. Maybe she has a secret desire to be a police officer, or maybe she gets a thrill being at a scene of violence.
I guess if you are a Southern graduate, then yesterday was either a day of pride or dismay.
Certainly, one’s alma mater is one thing, but an elected official sporting school attire at a public meeting and then a crime scene is certainly over the top.
