Holden reacts to Walker ads

Published Jun 6, 2012 at 3:00 pm (Updated Jun 6, 2012)

Mayor Kip Holden has fired back at Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker—his chief rival in the fall election—just hours after Walker began airing campaign ads on local radio stations today attacking the mayor's record on crime. Holden tells Daily Report he and Walker met Monday morning to discuss a budget supplement that the mayor will introduce Thursday to fund law enforcement and public safety: specifically, a new police academy and new squad cars for the Baton Rouge Police Department. Walker's radio ads mention there's a need for a police academy and beefed-up law enforcement. "I met with him and his assistants to tell him what I was proposing in the budget supplement, and they go straightaway and turn it into a radio spot," Holden says. "I expect this is just the beginning of trying to usurp ideas and things that I have to combat crime." —Stephanie Riegel