In Lafayette on Wednesday, Louisiana Governor-elect Jeff Landry named former House Speaker Taylor Barras as his commissioner of administration followed by announcing former House Fiscal Division Director Patrick Goldsmith as Barras' top deputy.
Barras will assume the role from outgoing Jay Dardenne once Landry officially takes office from Gov. John Bel Edwards in January 2024.
As commissioner of administration, the New Iberia native will be responsible for the development of the state budget and its presentation, as well as ensuring performance goals are met.
"He knows state government and he knows the budget process inside and out," Landry said of Barras.
Like Barras, Goldsmith has a wealth of experience with state finance.
The Gonzales native, who resigned on Monday as chief financial officer for Ascension Parish, previously worked as the director of performance auditing and actuarial service for the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office.
"I think it's an unbelievable winning team," Landry said. "I have no doubt that these two men will be able to find efficiencies and savings in our government so that we can streamline the government so that it can better serve the taxpayers."
Earlier this month, Landry made news by making New Orleans a focus for his transition committee. Landry believes public safety should be a priority and that the city should be run better.
“We want the city of New Orleans to operate like the city of Charleston and the city of Nashville, or some of the other great Southern cities around the country,” Landry told reporters last week. “And we know that it can. But it’s got a lot of problems."
One of the 27 people who are set to serve on the committee, Rick Farrell, was a chief funder in the effort to recall Cantrell earlier this year.
However, during her weekly press conference on Wednesday, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell spoke optimistically about the attention the city will receive from Landry's committee.
"The City of New Orleans, I think, deserves just a laser focus," Cantrell said. "But based on what we mean, again, to the state of Louisiana, I feel that it was a step in the right direction. And I have no reasons to believe that the administration nor the City Council will not be embedded in the governor-elects process as he gears for leading the State of Louisiana in January.
"So I'm very hopeful."
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