Former Louisiana House Speaker Joe Salter has died at the age of 82. Salter was an educator from Sabine Parish and spent 22 years in the House. He served as House Speaker from 2004 to 2008 when Kathleen Blanco was governor. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat remembers Salter as a friendly man.
“He never met a stranger. Always had a smile in his face. Always willing to work with you, try to help you. Whether you were a Democrat or a Republican, it didn’t matter to him. He tried to fix what you needed fixing, and consoled you when you needed consoling,” Pinsonat recalled.
Salter served as House Speaker during a chaotic time as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita crippled Louisiana. Pinsonat says Blanco leaned on Salter to help create the federally funded Road Home program, re-establish K-through-12 education in New Orleans and push the governor’s initiative to increase teacher pay.
“He had the unenviable job of trying to please everybody, at the same time meet the demands that were needed to keep New Orleans afloat, keep it funded and how to distribute all the federal dollars in the fairest way possible, yet trying to run the rest of the state,” Pinsonat said.
Although Salter was known as friendly and even-keeled, he could also be tough. Pinsonat says the Florien native removed Troy Hebert as chairman of the House Insurance Committee after Hebert did not vote to extend a sales tax that Blanco was trying to get passed.
“Joe would enforce the rules of the House. He didn’t care who you were. He treated everyone the same. If you got out of line, he would punish you just like all Speakers do. Whether it’s funding or some rule you broke,” Pinsonat said.
Salter died from kidney cancer. He inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame in 2008. Salter also worked in the Secretary of State’s Office, the Department of Education and also served as a board member for the University of Louisiana system.
