Gubernatorial Debate Night in Lafayette: John Schroder's 5 issues La. must address
LOUISIANA (KLFY) -- The Louisiana State Treasurer put his name in the hat for governor earlier this year and plans to address some key issues he feels are holding the state back.
Shoder currently resides as Louisiana's State Treasurer, a position he was elected to back in 2017 in a special election. Before becoming Treasurer, Shoder was a republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2008-2017 representing District 77 in St. Tammany Parish.
The Treasurer's campaign has centered around 5 key issues: education, crime, economic development, taxes and corruption.
Crime and education are two areas Shoder feels are crippling Louisiana and plans to address them through his personal experiences. As a former law enforcement officer, Shoder said he has seen how destructive crime can be and plans close loopholes that allow criminals to walk free.
Shoder also said that being married to a former educator has allowed him to witness the struggles of educators in and out of the class room. With Louisiana consistently ranking among the bottom in education, he said public education is in need a reform to ensure control at the local level.
As business owner, Shoder said he feel the daily struggles of businesses and wants to remove the regulatory barriers he believes keep businesses from growing. He also believes talent development is important and wants to train the workforce for jobs of the 21st century.
While focusing on economic development, Shoder also believes tax reform could help businesses thrive. By eliminating personal income tax and reducing tax rates Shoder believes more businesses will begin to call Louisiana home.
The last key issue Shoder feels is holding Louisiana back is corruption. Shoder said he wants to reform Louisiana's longtime reputation by putting an end to political corruption and cronyism and will make it a top priority in his administration.
Shoder will be participating in KLFY's gubernatorial debate alongside Jeff Landry, Shawn Wilson, Stephen Waguespack, Sharon Hewitt, Hunter Lundy and Richard Nelson. The debate will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday Sept. 7.