Industry Sector Has Strong and Positive Impression On SWLA

In recent months, Southwest Louisiana has been the focal point of negative media reports due to the impressive concentration of industrial facilities located here. This being America, all of us should appreciate the coverage for two reasons. First and foremost, only in America is the fourth estate able to work freely due to the second amendment which is important. The media sector makes it possible for the public to air facts and opinions. Second, even news or insights that are misguided can be viewed with some degree of merit, because that means people are talking about you or an issue. Remember, it is when the public or media don’t talk or reference you or an issue is when the hard work of reputation and image building becomes a problem. Some people inside and outside of our region do not understand or respect the historic economic growth that has occurred here -- with more to come -- as a result of industrial growth due in part to aggressive recruiting of industry and facilitating continued expansion of longtime corporate residents here. Nowhere in the United States can an area say it has $100 billion in industrial growth and at the same time boast of serving as the focal point of America’s Energy Renaissance. Is there room for improvement? Of course and many people are actively working to diversify the regional business community while advocating for good government management and spending which at times is a major reason Louisiana seems planted at the bottom of many quality of life rankings. From an economic development standpoint, our job is simple. Promote and recruit companies to the area and encourage entrepreneurship. Historically, our region has been an industrial center with thousands of local families sharing generation-long connections to large corporations that produce fuel, chemicals, petrochemicals, and other products. If you are not interested in SWLA’s industrial heritage based in the 1900s, then consider what the current history of the relationship is. According to the Lake Area Industry Alliance (LAIA), the more than 20 members have had direct impacts on taxes, donations, volunteerism and jobs. Here are some LAIA facts:

TAXES

• $334 million represents the total sales tax paid by Calcasieu Parish industries since 2014.

• $270 million represents the amount of estimated property taxes paid by local industries since 2014.

• 17 represents the number of local industries in the list of the top 20 property taxpayers in Calcasieu Parish.

• One out of every three is the number of Calcasieu Parish teachers’ salaries and benefits paid largely by taxes from local industry.

• $15.1 million in upgrades and new initiatives for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office from sales tax collected from local industry.

• Calcasieu Parish Police Jury was able to dedicate funds in the 2019 budget largely due to local industry.

DONATIONS

• $5.8 million represents amount of financial contributions by local industries to McNeese State University Foundation.

• 10 represents the number of endowed scholarships established at MSU by local industries.

• 11 represents the number of endowed professorships established at MSU by local industries.

• $1.1 million represents the amount of equipment and program support from local industries to SOWELA.

• $5 million represents the amount donated by local industry for the Process Technology Training Center at SOWELA.

VOLUNTEERISM

• 80,000 represents the number of hours employees of local industry have volunteered in area since 2014.

JOBS

• 6,550 represents the number of employees with local industry since 2018.

• 3,500 represents the number of contractors with local industry in 2018.

• 50,250 represents the number of indirect jobs with local industry in 2018.

• $989 million represents the annual payroll of employees and contractors with local industry. In my opinion, industry is fully integrated in our region and the relationship has paid dividends for SWLA. Those people who question or disagree with the industry presence are entitled to their perspectives. Let’s agree though that the latter facts are indisputable and have impacted lives of our regional residents and the state for the better. A working people are a proud people regardless of the naysayers.

Eric Cormier is the Vice President of Policy and Strategic Development at the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. He can be contacted at 337-433-3632 or ecormier@ allianceswla.org.