LMR_November

What Can LMA Do for You?
The Louisiana Municipal Association is a unified voice for
Louisiana’s municipal governments. Our mission is to educate,
advocate, and empower progressive, effective leadership in a
united network of municipalities.
Every incorporated municipality benefits from the representation
of the Association. Today, there are 305 LMA members
con-sisting of 127 villages, 111 towns, 65 cities, and 2 parishes.
Each local government belongs to one of the 10 LMA Districts
(A-J).
Since our inception in 1926, the Association continues to
promote local governments by shaping legislation, providing
education on municipal issues, and exchanging ideas and
experiences among elected official leaders throughout the state.
The voice of municipal government cannot be overlooked at the
State Capitol. The Association’s success is contingent upon the
support and engagement of the LMA membership.
What We Believe
Municipalities have traditionally served as centers of social,
cultural, and recreational life. Much of Louisiana’s commercial
activity also takes place within incorporated areas. Effective municipal
governing is not without its challenges, but we believe
that problems are best resolved at the local level of government
and every day we fight to preserve and enhance the ability of
Louisiana municipalities to resolve those local problems and
provide needed and desired services to our citizens.
Member Benefits
There is a famous tagline from an old credit card commercial
that says, “membership has its privileges.” Just as that advertisement
made it clear that the credit card would grant uncommon
access for its cardholders, LMA holds uncommon access to advocacy,
education, and empowerment for our members. Those
membership “privileges” include, but are not limited to:
• Municipal representation on legislative issues at state and
federal levels.
• Educational training on municipal matters, such as the Community
Leadership Training Webinar Series and LMA Grant
Writing for Municipalities Webinar Series.
• Key publications and guides, such as Louisiana Municipal
Review, LMA Grant Newsletter, Handbook for Municipal
Officials, New Mayors’ Emergency Management Guide,
Legislative Reports, and Louisiana Municipal Association
Municipal Directory.
• Municipal research data, such as Survey Navigator Wage and
Benefits and Franchise Fee Survey.
• LMA educational and networking events, such as LMA’s 10
District Meetings, Municipal Day, Mid-Winter Conference,
and Annual Convention.
• Affiliate educational events, such as Louisiana City Attorney’s
Association (LCAA), Louisiana Recreation and Park Association
(LRPA), Louisiana Municipal Clerks Institute (LCMI),
and Building Officials Association of Louisiana (BOAL) spring
and fall conferences.
• Programs and services offered by LMA’s subsidiaries and
partners, such as Risk Management, Inc. (RMI), LA Municipal
Gas Authority (LMGA), LA Municipal Association of
Unemployment Compensation (LMA-UEC), LA Community
Development Authority (LCDA), and LA Municipal Advisory
and Technical Services Bureau (LaMATS).
• Technical Assistance programs and hands-on training from
LMA staff members who travel the state to meet with
officials to assist and educate on the operation of municipal
governments.
LMA Advocates
Louisiana’s state government has historically operated according
to an inconsistent theory of the proper relationship of the government
to municipal governments. The state has on the one
hand, frequently exerted significant control of municipal affairs
according to the premise that “municipalities are creatures of the
state” and that as such, municipalities have only those powers
and privileges which have been delegated to them. We see this
through the Lawrason Act and legislative charter forms of government.
On the other hand, the state government has histor-
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LMR | November 2018