At Bayou Boat Rentals in Des Allemands, owner Sid Landry outright says he believes President-elect Donald Trump will grow the economy.
“I’m counting on Donald to change things around,” said Landry, who also hopes Trump can revive Louisiana’s struggling petroleum industry, as well as his business that relies on it.
“I’m hoping that he doesn’t shut the oil and gas down like [President Barack] Obama has shut the oil and gas down like he has because that’s part of the business I’m in,” he said. “It’s ridiculous the boats that are tied up. I’m expecting him to change things and not just go after these energy companies.”
Landry also wants Trump to ease restrictions on getting permits for work, which he argued also has slowed his business.
“I just started a job that took a year to get the permit and that isn’t the first time,” he said. “There was another company that put in a pipeline and it took seven to eight months for them to get their permit. That’s government getting in the way.”
Although Trump’s win in last Tuesday’s election surprised some, it didn’t surprise Landry.
“I figured if the people had the sense in their head they wouldn’t vote for Hillary [Clinton],” he said. “That would only be another four years of failed government. She would have just picked up where Obama left off and I really believe Trump really wants to better this country.”
In Destrehan, Kevin Schexnaydre, manager of Eagle Pro Interior/Exterior Specialists, said he expects Trump will turn things around.
“That’s why I voted for him,” Schexnaydre said. “Things can’t be any worse.”
He also blamed the state’s economic downturn on Obama’s moratoriums on offshore oil drilling that hurt businesses and put many others out of business.
“I can’t say that the past eight years was good for any state much less Louisiana,” he said.
But Schexnaydre said he’s more optimistic that Trump will set the country in the right direction.
Arthur Kelm, president of Getgo Gator Systems in Boutte, is equally hopeful about better business under Trump, particularly with less regulations, changing the Affordable Care Act and increasing employment.
“It won’t be instant, but we’re anticipating a much improved business climate,” said Kelm. “I had a negative outlook, but now it’s positive.”
Getgo Manager Dean Swanson added they kept the store open with the hope that Trump would ease regulations on small businesses.
At Grumpy’s Restaurant in Paradis, owner Anne Perilloux said she’s also more hopeful for a better economy resulting from a healthier oil industry and more jobs.
“I hope things get better,” Perilloux said.
With a business that’s been open 23 years, Perilloux added she’s seen rough times economically and she’d also welcome a better economy.
With EJ & K Lawn & Home Services in Luling, owner Kelly Brown said he only anticipates more competition in his type of business.
But, nationwide, Brown has a different perspective where he maintained the government has gotten itself into “a Catch-22” situation where people who advocate a higher minimum wage don’t realize it will increase the cost of a hamburger from $5 to $10 to pay for the increase.
“They don’t want to lower taxes to bring businesses back, but if you look at everything else held equal the biggest expense to companies is the people they employ,” he said. “If they keep rising that cost that won’t be conducive to bringing jobs back to the country because the labor is so much cheaper elsewhere in the world.”
For his small business, Brown said raising the minimum wage would mean not hiring people.
At Stell Furniture in Luling, owner David Stell said things have to get better in business because it can’t get worse everywhere.
But he’s already seen a welcome change in his customers.“Everybody’s in a better mood now,” Stell said. “When they’re secure they tend to go out and make more purchases.”As with every presidential election, business slowed or outright stopped as buyers waited on the country’s direction before spending money. But Stell said Tuesday’s election changed their outlook.
“The people figured they have a voice and it made them more confident,” he said of seeing people the day after the election who looked like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. “I’m optimistic.”
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