Tommy Benasco for Slidell City Council District B

04/28/2018

Turnout today will be historically lower than ever. If you haven’t done so already please go vote. Today we will be selecting our next Mayor. It is vital that we exercise our right to vote and please consider voting for Kevin Davis. He is a good man who can lead this city in the direction it needs to go.

04/15/2018

To all of my friends that have supported me throughout the years. After this past election I have been quiet and haven’t said much. I have always wanted the best for this city and I have stuck my neck out on more than one occasion for her. As you know I do all that I can for the children. There will be a day that every child in Slidell goes to bed without being hungry along with the necessary skills to be productive citizens. I won’t rest until that happens. But as you know we have a very important decision to make in the next few weeks. One that will impact us for years to come and should not be looked at lightly. Our next Mayor will need to take us out of the stagnant situation that we are currently in. We need vision on how to succeed and be competitive amongst the other cities vying for growth as well. We need to also make due with what we have. No new taxes. But with that being said there are sales taxes that are not being collected, which needs to be addressed. At no cost to the tax payers might I add. But thats an administrative problem, which could be corrected immediately. We need a mayor who understands the needs of the community and who is not afraid to get it done. We all know that the city has recently received an enormous amount of money to repair our infrastructure caused by Katrina. But what you don’t hear is who was behind this. That man was Kevin Davis. They would like to give you the impression that he had nothing to do with it, but that’s not true. I have spoken to Kevin and feel with all my heart that Kevin is the right man for us. He has my family and I full support and I humbly ask that you please consider him as well. Thank you all for your consideration. God bless

03/23/2018

I would like to thank all of my family and friends. This has been an amazing experience. We have spoken to so many people along the way. Each of them with concerns of which direction our city is going. I can assure that if elected I will do my best to bring Slidell to its full potential. So if you live in District B, I humbly ask that you vote for me to be your next councilman.

03/08/2018

Early voting starts on Saturday March 10. Please come out and vote

01/26/2018

I am so humbled to have received the endorsement of the Alliance For Good Government. I look forward to meeting the people of District B in the next few weeks as I start walking the neighborhood. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns which need to be addressed.

01/08/2018

My first pledge: Real Change Towards Combating He**in & Drug Overdoses

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention we are expected to top over 65,000 drug overdose deaths this year. This doesn’t include the staggering amount of overdoses where lives were saved by medical intervention. To put it in more of a perspective, that higher than the peak of gun violence deaths in 1993, higher than the peak of HIV deaths in 1995, and higher than the peak of car crash deaths in 1972.

Here in Saint Tammany Parish, Chief Tim Lentz spearheaded Operation Angel in 2016. This program is a great start in the right direction for those suffering from addiction. The problem here on the east-side of the parish, particularly here in my hometown of Slidell, is that almost no one who needs to know about this program is informed, as well as a few others, know about the resources available to them and their children.

I have come across so many members in my congregation, my community, and my volunteer work as a policeman, where addiction is such a huge struggle for so many families. Drug addiction hits every kind of family despite income level, despite race, despite religion, despite age, despite political affiliation, and despite what family name one may have.

As your council-member I will spearhead and create a joint task force with other political leaders, health department officials, judicial members, and drug rehabilitation professionals. I will initiate a three pronged approach to combat this evil epidemic in Slidell.

1. Demand that all drug overdoses are treated as homicides by our local law enforcement, as already defined by LARS 14:30.1(3)&(4) Second Degree Murder. Drug dealers can be successfully charged and prosecuted for murder. However some agencies make the decision to not investigate overdoses as murders, so as to artificially keep crime rates low, this is everything that is wrong with politics. The law is very clear that the drug dealer, and the dealers supplier should be charged and prosecuted for murder.

2. Ensure that all first responders, included our local law enforcement agency, have the funding and training to deploy Narcan on those overdosing on opiates. Narcan costs range between $20-$40 per unit, and should be easily budgeted out of the Drug Seizure and Forfeiture Fund. The training should be easily budgeted out of additional capital.

3. Work with the task-force to make it easier for family members to get the much needed treatment for their own loved ones, and to get the inpatient treatment and spiritual healing they so desperately need.

This is a pledge. Pure and simple.

11/10/2016

I would like to ask all of my supporters to please consider voting for Kevin O'Neill. He is a good and honest man. He is what this city needs to be the next police chief.

Runoff set Dec. 10

11/09/2016

Thank you to all who supported my candidacy, and congratulations to Kevin and Randy!

Winner of Dec. 10 runoff succeeds Randy Smith, now St. Tammany Parish sheriff

11/05/2016

Thank you Kendra Maness and Slidell Magazine for the opportunity to be published in your magazine. Another of Slidell's treasures

11/05/2016

We have a He**in problem. Unfortunately it does not discriminate. It can affect any family

10/29/2016

Joanne is having entirely too much fun. Early voting is open. Stop by and say hello.