Roemer remembered locally as a ‘visionary’

Former Louisiana Gov. Charles E. “Buddy” Roemer III is being remembered locally today as a visionary who helped Louisiana Tech University become a doctoral institution and saw to it that U.S. 167 was four-laned through North Louisiana.

Roemer, 77, died Monday at his home in Baton Rouge. The Democrat-turned-Republican served only one term as governor, from 1988 to 1992.

“He was very supportive of our efforts up here, and I appreciated that,” former state Sen. Randy Ewing, whose district included Lincoln Parish, said. “I enjoyed a good relationship with him.”

Ewing, a Jackson Parish Democrat, and Roemer, from Bossier Parish, were running for office at the same time.

Roemer’s candidacy was seen as a long shot against then-incumbent Gov. Edwin Edwards. But his promises of a “Roemer revolution,” hurdled him over other candidates to take first place in the bipartisan primary.

Edwards, who ran second, withdrew from the race, making the 44-year-old Roemer the governor-elect.

Roemer ran on a platform of fiscal and educational reform, as well as upgrading Louisiana’s highway system. And while all of those weren’t fully realized during Roemer’s tenure, he laid the groundwork for subsequent legislation in all three areas, Ewing said.

“He made his mark. He did lay out the vision. Since that time there has been a lot of work done,” Ewing said.

Ewing said Roemer was committed to education at all levels and believed education was Louisiana’s ticket to a brighter future.

Ewing characterized Roemer as a tireless leader who did his homework and “was smart enough to bring good people around him.”

Roemer had good administrative abilities as good political skills, Ewing said.

“He would try to find the middle ground as best he could, but there were some things he wouldn’t give up on, like fiscal reform,” Ewing said.

Roemer visited Ruston and Louisiana Tech University several times during his term.

He helped get funds for the university’s micromanufacturing program that became key to Louisiana Tech’s becoming a doctoral university, former Louisiana Tech President Dan Reneau said.

Reneau recalled a year in which he had to cut $1 million from the university’s budget — money Roemer later figured out how to give back.

“A president of a university remembers something like that,” Reneau said.

He said Roemer moved the state forward “in the process of higher education becoming more quality.”

According to the National Governor’s As sociation profile of Roemer, the late governor is credited with balancing the state budget for three years, increasing teacher pay, strengthening the department of environmental quality to enforce environmental laws, and toughening the laws on campaign finance.

Gambling, the state lottery, riverboat gambling and video poker were also legalized during his term.

Though Roemer tried a gubernatorial comeback, both that and a presidential bid failed.

In 2014, Roemer, diabetic since his teenage years, suffered a stroke that affected his speech.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in Roemer’s honor on the day of his interment.