• Transforming Cameron Parish: As parish administrator, Bourriaque spearheaded projects including new fisheries facilities, LNG expansions, courthouse rehabilitation and a comprehensive Coastal Master Plan that integrated shoreline protection, marsh creation and drainage to build resilience.
• Negotiating LNG growth: He explains how Cameron Parish balanced immediate revenue needs against long‑term benefits when negotiating tax exemptions and Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements. By coordinating 32 taxing districts and focusing on six‑figure jobs, property tax collections grew from roughly $30 million to about $70–80 million annually.
• Modernizing transportation: As chair of the House Transportation Committee, Bourriaque discusses legislation to restructure Louisiana’s Department of Transportation and Development. He notes that a Boston Consulting Group report found the state delivered only about 20 % of promised projects on schedule—hence the need for new processes to tackle the $19 billion infrastructure backlog.
• Protecting a 70‑mile shoreline: Southwest Louisiana’s shoreline is more like a barrier shoreline than barrier islands. Bourriaque describes fighting to authorize rock breakwaters in the state master plan and watching nature rebuild the coast once they were installed.
• Balancing industry and ecology: He emphasizes that LNG, fisheries, agriculture and coastal protection are interconnected, and that sustainable development requires both economic competitiveness and environmental stewardship.
• Leadership in an unincorporated parish: With no mayors and only volunteer police jurors, Cameron Parish taught Bourriaque to negotiate among many voices and layers of government, an experience he carries into state politics.
• Humility and negotiation: Bourriaque says everyone has a voice and credits the ‘two ears, one mouth’ principle—listening more than speaking—as key to balancing persistence with humility.
• Staying grounded: Despite his legislative role, he remains active in his Lions Club, church and children’s school. Raised by parents and grandparents who valued service, he believes “we come this way but once,” so he makes time to coach, volunteer and help the next generation.
• Long‑view leadership and legacy: Bourriaque advocates marrying institutional knowledge with new technologies and accepting that disaster recovery isn’t designed to be fast. Leaders must do the right thing because it’s right—not for immediate credit—and document lessons for future generations.
• What fuels him: He’s driven by a desire not to let his people down. He wants the mentors who challenged him growing up to be proud of his efforts and to see that he’s working for his community’s long‑term well‑being.
