NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The sun is setting on the second term of Governor John Bel Edwards.
Edwards tells WGNO how he believes his time in office helped the state and New Orleans with Moving New Orleans Forward Anchor LBJ.
The Governor’s Mansion was the setting for a final sit down with Edwards.
The interview covered a variety of topics, but began as he started his term eight years ago by expanding healthcare access on his first day in office.
“Today, over half a million of our working poor brothers and sister have health insurance that didn’t have it before and the uninsured rate in Louisiana is actually lowered than the national average,” said Edwards.
Perhaps the defining moment of the Edwards Administration was having to navigate the state through a pandemic that that took the lives of over 19,000 residents and infected millions statewide.
Even so, the governor points to a silver lining to which we now benefit from.
“We had an opportunity to spend money either to temporarily to build out more space both ICU beds and beds in regular hospitals and what we found out is that the money was going to be the same to build out on a permanent basis, and we can do it in just about the same time. So, we actually increased our capacity in New Orleans, and in Shreveport and here in Baton Rouge,” said Edwards.
Since the pandemic, violent crime has risen across the country, and here in our city. Edwards believes in partnerships to fight violent crime but differs from incoming governor Jeff Landry in his perception of the city.
“Any constructive efforts, and partnerships between the state and the folks in Orleans Parish and elsewhere that will reduce crime I’m supportive of. But one thing that I’ve heard the governor elect say that I totally disagree with, I don’t want New Orleans to be Nashville. New Orleans is so much better than today than Nashville in so many ways in the history, the culture, the food the entertainment. I’m a country music person so I like Nashville, but we want New Orleans to be the best that it can be,” said Edwards.
Watch the full interview with Edwards:
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.