Setting the Record Straight: "I Am Not Running for Parish President" - A Letter From Dr. Callegari

Let me be as clear as I possibly can, and I mean this in a way that leaves no room for confusion, speculation, or rumor. You can take a picture of this, you can print it out, you can frame it, and you can hang it on your wall if you’d like. I am not running for Parish President. I will not be a candidate for Parish President, now or in the foreseeable future.

There seems to be a growing rumor circulating that I plan to run for this position, and I want to address that head-on. The simple truth is, I already have a job that I care deeply about and truly enjoy. My focus remains where it has been, on my work, my family, and doing what I can to contribute positively to this community in the roles I already hold.

I understand where some of this speculation may be coming from. I played a significant role in writing the proposed Home Rule Charter, and because of that visibility, some have assumed political ambition. That assumption is incorrect.

The reality is much simpler. I spent years studying how to improve government systems in Louisiana. During that research, one theme came up again and again, meaningful reform often begins at the local level. I asked a fundamental question that many of us have probably wondered at some point. How can a state so rich in natural resources continue to struggle in so many key areas? That question led to years of study, research, and eventually earning a PhD focused on these very issues.

When you have a problem with your vehicle, you go to a mechanic. When something is wrong with your health, you go to a physician. When you need a service done right, you seek out someone with the training and expertise to handle it. My involvement in the charter process came from that same principle. This is an area I have studied extensively, and I felt a responsibility to use that knowledge to help my community.

I did not help write the charter because I wanted a political position. In fact, even if I had wanted to run for Parish President, I could not. Under the Louisiana Constitution, as chairman of the Home Rule Charter Commission, I am prohibited from running for the offices created within that charter. I knew that going in, and I accepted that without hesitation.

This was never about a title, a campaign, or a future political move. I was not paid for this work. I did not receive any financial benefit. I spent countless hours researching, drafting, meeting, and working through details, all with one goal in mind, to try to make our parish better.

Unfortunately, rumors tend to grow when people do not have all the information, and sometimes even when they do. But let me say it again, clearly and directly. I am not running for Parish President.

What I am doing, and will continue to do, is use the knowledge and experience I have to contribute where I can. Nothing more, nothing less.