Rep. Talbot, Kirk (R)
District# 78, River Ridge

• District # 78: House District 1
• Party: Republican
• Caucus Membership: Jefferson Parish Legislative Delegation
  Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation
• Occupation: Businessman
  
• Education:University of Mississippi, B.A., Business Administration
• Spouse:Julie
• Year Elected: 2007
• Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2020
• 2007 Election
  After a heated and packed primary, Kirk Talbot defeated Harahan City Councilwoman and fellow Republican Tiffany Scot Wilken with 57 percent of the vote.
  

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• Economic: The conservative, East Bank Jefferson Parish communities of Harahan, Metairie and River Ridge make up District 78. Many residents, both white- and blue-collar, commute into New Orleans for work but prefer to make their home far away from the hustle and bustle of the Big Easy.
• District 78 is ripe with small business opportunities, mostly in the form of retail stores and restaurants. The Elmwood area and surrounding developments are booming. An increasing number of big employers are choosing to relocate their office space to the up and coming region, which includes nearby Ochsner Hospital, another huge source of jobs.
• There was minimal impact from Hurricane Katrina in the district, especially since it sits on higher ground. Recovery was quick and successful in most all cases.
• Social: District 78 is a prosperous area, with many large families and close knit neighborhoods. Family life is a driving force here and most weekends find moms and dads at ballparks, church functions and school activities. The Elmwood Business Park, in particular, is nurturing a young class of working professionals. Roughly half of District 78’s residents are middle-to-upper class, with some low wage employees. More than most in the parish, it is beginning to feel the pinch from New Orleans’ increasing outmigration trend.
• Political: District 78 is strongly Republican and very conservative when it comes to social issues. Residents are fiercely protective of their quality of life and their neighborhoods, consequently looking at new businesses with a careful, critical eye. Church and family are strong guiding factors here. Republicans in statewide elections almost always carry this district, with few exceptions.

• Republican Kirk Talbot replaces Rep. Shirley Bowler. Back home in the district, he’s best known among some as the co-owner of Lucky Dogs, Inc., a family owned business (and New Orleans staple) since 1970.
• In fact, business friendly is a phrase that could eventually come to describe Talbot’s freshman efforts. With a B.A. in business administration from the University of Mississippi and a membership in the Jefferson Parish Chamber of Commerce, it should come as no surprise that Talbot is particularly interested in lowering the state tax on business utilities and immediately abolishing the so-called Stelly Plan.
• A former member of the Jefferson Parish Transit Authority Board, Talbot likewise arrives at the House with an intimate working knowledge of the area’s transportation needs and has identified infrastructure as a top policy issue moving forward.
• Among other issues, Talbot will be making a push in coming sessions to give the Legislature more independence. For example, he wants to make it easier for lawmakers to call themselves into a special session by allowing for more than one petition to be passed around for signatures and permitting a session call by a floor vote.
• Another campaign priority was ethics reform, particularly preventing legislators from having state contracts and taking away elected officials’ state retirement if they are convicted of a corruption related crime. He supported some level of income disclosure for elected officials.