Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 51, § 1201. Promotion by parishes, municipalities, and port authorities

A. The parishes, municipalities, and port authorities created in accordance with the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana are hereby authorized to promote the development of industry, trade, and commerce within and for their respective jurisdictions and to associate with one or more parishes, municipalities, or port authorities for the purpose of promoting industry, trade, and commerce within the area of the several political subdivisions joined together or associated for this purpose. To this end, parishes, municipalities, and port authorities may advertise by various means including but not limited to news media, trade journals, magazines, and billboards and any other means which, in their judgment and discretion, they deem appropriate to promote, encourage, and develop industry, trade, and commerce. In addition, they may establish and become members in councils chartered by the state as nonprofit corporations for the purpose of industrial, trade, and commercial development.

B. Such councils shall be governed by boards comprised of members appointed by the governing authorities of the participating political subdivisions and shall make public their expenditures for advertising and promotion by means of annual reports audited by a certified public accountant.

C. Parishes, municipalities, and port authorities may appropriate and expend public funds in the furtherance of the promotion of industry, trade, and commerce, either directly or by membership in the aforesaid councils.

D. A port authority which has not experienced a deficit in the previous year may additionally appropriate out of current income from its operations a local promotion and development fund of not more than two percent of its gross income from operations in each calendar year for use in its respective jurisdictional boundaries.