Dave Treen - Accomplishments As Governor

Accomplishments As Governor

A few hallmarks of the Treen administration were the creation of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, a statewide high school on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches for the gifted, the establishment of the Department of Environmental Quality, and the appointment of more minorities to state positions. Two Treen campaign confidants, John H. Cade, Jr., of Alexandria and William "Billy" Nungesser of New Orleans, worked as unpaid advisors in the administration. Cade had also managed Treen's successful congressional races in 1972, 1974, 1976, and 1978. He directed the successful 1979 gubernatorial race as well as the disastrous 1983 reelection attempt. Cade was the Republican state chairman from 1976 to 1978, and Nungesser chaired the GOP central committee as well from 1988 to 1992.

Treen rewarded all of the Democratic gubernatorial candidates who endorsed him. Jimmy Fitzmorris became Executive Assistant for Economic Development. Edgar Mouton was named executive counsel to Treen, but he later abandoned the administration and endorsed the return of Edwin Edwards to the governorship in 1983. Speaker E.L. Henry became the powerful Commissioner of Administration. Louisiana Secretary of State Paul Hardy became secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development, with the former Republican mayor of Minden, Tom Colten, as his assistant. Edwards loyalist George Fischer was named secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources, one of the largest departments in state government. Many of the Democrat legislators remained loyal to Edwards, who operated a "shadow government" from the sidelines. Edwards said on leaving office in 1980 that he was on "a brief, mandated hiatus and would be back" in 1983.

Treen obtained legislative passage of his "Professional Improvement Program" (or PIPs) for public school teachers, but the $67 million program was dropped in the next Edwards administration. PIPs allowed instructors to obtain small pay increases for taking college-level courses and/or attending intensive workshops to improve teaching performance. Problems developed when numerous teachers signed up for classes with limited academic requirements and shunned the more rigorous courses. Such actions thereby undermined the purpose of Treen's reform.

Treen signed into law a measure authored by State Senator Bill P. Keith of Shreveport which required balanced treatment in public school instruction regarding evolution and creation science. The measure was struck down in 1987, after Treen had left office, by the United States Supreme Court in the case Edwards v. Aguillard.

Treen worked with the Lafayette delegation, including Representatives Mike Thompson and Ron Gomez, for construction of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns stadium, the Cajundome. Construction began in 1982 and was completed and dedicated late in 1985, by which time Edwards had returned to the office.

During his gubernatorial term, Treen developed a reputation for indecision and micromanagement of details which frustrated supporters and angered adversaries.His failure to push for strong conservative policies and governmental reforms disappointed many Republican allies, as did his refusal to oust from his administration allies of former governor and his past and future rival, Democrat Edwin Edwards.

Treen had difficulty with the lieutenant governor, Democrat Robert "Bobby" Freeman, a former state representative from Plaquemine in Iberville Parish. Freeman, considered a liberal by Louisiana standards, vowed to exercise gubernatorial powers, as permitted under the state constitution, whenever Treen left the state, either on business or pleasure. In 1983, Freeman supported the return of Edwin Edwards as governor. Freeman easily won re-election in 1983 by defeating Edwards' first lieutenant governor, Democrat Jimmy Fitzmorris.

Treen presided over resumption of use of the capital punishment in Louisiana. Two convicts were executed by electric chair during his tenure.