Donald Ray Jones Sr.

Donald Ray Jones Sr. (born June 6, 1959) is an American former local elected official from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. He served on the Jefferson Parish School Board and later represented District 3 on the Jefferson Parish Council.

Early life and education Donald Ray Jones Sr. was born on June 6, 1959, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and later lived in Marrero. In 1988, Federal District Judge Frederick Heebe appointed Jones to the Jefferson Parish School Board, and he was later described by The Times-Picayune as the first African-American member appointed to the school board at the time.

His election followed federal voting-rights litigation challenging the parish's council districting structure. In October 1991, The Times-Picayune reported that the District 3 election followed a lawsuit filed by the East Jefferson Coalition in 1986 that sought a majority-African-American council district and alleged dilution of minority voting power. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana later described the earlier litigation as a Section 2 Voting Rights Act challenge and determined that the parish's electoral system impeded minority voters' ability to elect representatives of their choice.

Following that litigation, Jefferson Parish adopted a revised redistricting plan that retained a six-district and one at-large council layout, establishing District 3 as a majority-Black district. The United States Department of Justice precleared the modified districting plan on August 27, 1991, and the first elections under the reconfigured boundaries took place later that year. Because changes to Louisiana local government structures required federal approval under the Voting Rights Act, the proposal was subject to federal review.

In April 1994, Councilman Jones was one of several Black Jefferson Parish Elected Officials who asked Gov. Edwin Edwards to mediate the situation surrounding Sheriff Harry Lee, after 2 African Americans died in police custody. Community leaders at the time accused Lee and his office of ignoring Black Jefferson Parish residents rights and not providing proper police representation.

The Jefferson Parish Council approved a $4.8 million contract in 1995 for a pumping station intended to reduce flooding in the Lincolnshire and Westminster subdivisions. Jones said the project would help reduce prior flooding problems, and parish drainage officials said the station would increase drainage capacity in the area by more than 50 percent. In 2001, Jones and Councilman Lloyd Giardina said they would recommend accepting a $10.9 million bid to build a Bayou Segnette pumping station to improve drainage in Waggaman, Bridge City, and Avondale.

During the 1999 campaign, Jones cited several district projects and economic-development efforts, including waterline efforts for Grand Isle and Waggaman, street improvements in the South New Orleans and Bunche Village neighborhoods, a special gambling district connected to Boomtown Casino, planning for the Harvey Canal area, proposed widening of Lapalco Boulevard, walking trails, medical clinics, and state legislation involving donation of blighted property to organizations. In 1998, the newspaper listed $634,000 in discretionary spending associated with Jones, including allocations to Marrero Action Playground, Jefferson Housing Foundation, Avondale Walking Track, Mission Possible, Waggaman COPS, tutoring, scholarships, and other community programs. The article noted that discretionary money came from gambling and tourism taxes allocated to each council member.

Campaigns and controversies In December 1992, the Jefferson Parish Council voted to cancel a $50,000 parish grant previously approved for an African-American history museum in Westwego and removed the Black Chamber of Commerce from a nominating committee for political appointees. Jones stated that the decisions were based on concerns that the chamber and the local chapter of the National Heritage Foundation were not sufficiently focused on economic development in Black neighborhoods.

In the 1999 election cycle, opponents Cedric Floyd and Danny Webber criticized Jones over accessibility to constituents. Floyd also criticized the handling of parish housing funds connected to the Jefferson Housing Foundation, a private nonprofit organization staffed by associates of Jones that had parish contracts for first-time homebuyer training, entrepreneurial training, and housing renovation work. and then again in 2005 losing to opposing candidates.

In 2019, Jones ran for district 3's open council seat hoping to secure a win for the next 4 years of term, with Jones being joined by a crowded ballot of well known Black Jefferson Parish Politicians, all battling it out to win the open black-majority district 3. Ultimately, Jones conceded the run, endorsing Councilman Byron Lee for the seat, which ultimately Byron won at the run-off with Derrick Shepherd.

Private career, ministry and recognition Outside of elected office, Jones was associated with several business and media ventures. A 2018 Times-Picayune feature identified him as chief executive officer of Jones Insurance Agency, CEO/President of STEP Construction, LLC, and founder of New Orleans Talk Network.