As the St. Tammany Transparency and Resource Accountability Committee reviews agencies like the fire department and mosquito abatement, some leaders are accusing District Attorney Collin Sims of using the process to boost his own funding.
“If we remove the DA, I don’t think anyone has a problem with this,” Fire Chief Randy Hess said during a recent council meeting. “That’s the biggest sticking point. It’s no secret he needs money.”
Hess also accused Sims of “trying to create funding for himself by smearing organizations.”
But Sims says that’s simply not the case.
“None of the savings can be redirected to the agencies that are trying to help save money,” Sims said. “The only net result can be a cost savings to the taxpayer.”
TRAC was approved by the parish council and has no power to cut agency budgets, only to make recommendations to the Parish Council. Any changes to tax funding would require a public vote.
Despite the criticism, Sims doesn’t sit on TRAC. Instead, his office’s analysts are helping build a tool to spot fraud, duplication, and waste across the parish’s many taxing agencies.
Critics are particularly focused on Mosquito Abatement, which has a budget approaching $10 million and six months’ worth of emergency reserve funds. Kathryn Townsend is a scientist on who voluntarily serves as commission on the board of St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement. She wonders why the DA is involved at all.
“…why the District Attorney’s Office for St. Tammany Parish is looking at mosquito control, which is a government entity outside of parish government…” Townsend said.
Jennifer Bushnell is the public information officer for the abatement agency. She their funding is crucial to protect public health after storms.
“Seven to 14 days after a big storm event, you’re going to have hordes and hordes of mosquitoes that emerge shortly thereafter,” said Jennifer with Mosquito Abatement. “We’re able to be back in that area that’s experiencing a problem within 24 hours. And that, of course, would be heavily impacted by a slashing of our funding.”
Sims says he understands those concerns but believes the parish needs a hard look at its spending – something he says should have happened long ago, especially as St. Tammany’s population has exploded since moving away from its old police jury system.
“No, I’m not the ideal guy,” Sims said. “But I’m at least a guy who’s gonna spend time to find a solution and not just ask the people for more.”
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