Sherman Copelin, on the right to return

Sherman Copelin, a former State Representative, now a New Orleans East businessman, at last week's Bring New Orleans Back Urban Planning Committee final report to Mayor Nagin (BizNewOrleans):

“On behalf of businesses and property owners, we want to accept your challenge to come up with a plan, but we want a commitment that you’re going to work with us on the plan,” he said.

Noting that the panel had emphasized that some existing parks could become centers for sparking redevelopment, with City Park being of particular interest, he said: “I think you ought to rethink that … Joe Brown Park (in eastern New Orleans) is the largest park in city, and I didn’t hear anything about that.”

Copelin said he appreciates that the committee has attempted to draw a visionary, long-range plan for the city, but added: “This is about short-term relief.” He criticized the proposal for a moratorium on rebuilding, saying, “We don’t need permission to come back … We (in eastern New Orleans) generate 40 percent of the tax base and somebody pops up a map and says put it on hold?”

I heard Copelin's remarks on a live WWL broadcast in which he said "We're back. We don't need permission to come back. ... If you throw us under the bus, we're going to be your worst enemy."