Joseph F. Toomy
| Joseph Francis Toomy | |
Louisiana State Representative
for District 85 (Jefferson Parish)]] | |
| In office 1984–2008 | |
| Succeeded by | Ricky Templet[1] |
|---|---|
Member of the
Jefferson Parish School Board | |
| In office 1974–1983 | |
| Born | May 4, 1948 Place of birth missing |
| Political party | Democrat-turned-Republican (1990) |
| Spouse(s) | Jo Ann Fisk Toomy Parents: |
| Residence | Gretna, Jefferson Parish |
| Alma mater | Archbishop Shaw High School |
| Occupation | Insurance broker |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Joseph Francis Toomy, known as Joe Toomy (born May 4, 1948), is a self-employed insurance broker from Gretna in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, who served as the District 85 member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1984 until term-limited in 2008.[2]
Background
A Roman Catholic, Toomy was born to Francis X. Toomy (1914–1989), formerly of New Jersey,[3] and Dorothy N. Toomy (born c. 1920) of Gretna. He graduated in 1966 from Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero in Jefferson Parish. Thereafter, he received Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees from Tulane University in New Orleans. He was a Tulane administrator from 1976 to 1981 and was also a private tax consultant. He was named "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" in 1977 by the Jaycees. Toomy is married to the former Jo Ann Fisk (born September 7, 1943).[4]
Career
Prior to his legislative career, Toomy was a Democratic member of the Jefferson Parish School Board from 1974 to 1983 and the Louisiana Constitutional Convention, a year-long nonpartisan position, in 1973. There he served with future Governor Buddy Roemer and later Louisiana Secretary of State and Insurance Commissioner James H. "Jim" Brown. In March 2009, Republican Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Toomy to the board of the New Orleans Port Authority.[5]
In 1987, Toomy won his second legislative term, 5,539 votes (52.3 percent) to 5,057 (47.7 percent) for fellow Democrat Olden Toups.[6] In 1991, Toomy in his first run as a Republican defeated fellow Republican challenger, Lynn R. Cheramie, 6,966 (62.2 percent) to 4,232 (37.8 percent).[7] In 1995, Toomy defeated fellow Republican Don James, 7,591 (73.3 percent) to 2,763 (26.7 percent).[8] In 1999 and 2003, Toomy was unopposed for reelection.[9]
In 1991 and 1995, Toomy was named "Legislator of the Year" by the Alliance for Good Government. In 1987, he was honored as "Boss of the Year" by the Westbank Business and Professional Women. Active in the community, he is a former vice president of the Gretna Senior Citizen Management Board. He is affiliated with the David Crockett Volunteer Fire Company and is a past president of the Friends of the Louisiana State Fire Museum. He is a member of the Gretna Historical Society and the Archbishop Shaw High School trustees.[4] Toomy also has served on the board of New Orleans Catholic Charities.[10]
A 12-year limit on legislative service in one chamber took effect in 2008; Toomy had served twenty-four years when he became ineligible to seek a seventh term.[11] Toomy was a Democrat from 1984 to 1990, when he switched to Republican registration. Thereafter, he was elected in the nonpartisan blanket primaries of 1991, 1995, 1999, and 2003 on the GOP label.
In 2008, Toomy was a maximum contributor to the Republican presidential nominee U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona.[12] He also donated in 2008 to the 2010 reelection campaign of Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter,[13] who left the Senate in January 2017.
In 2019, Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards appointed Toomy to a new five-year term on the board of commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. He succeeded Laney J. Chouest as one of two Jefferson Parish representatives on the seven-member board. He previously served on the board under Governor Jindal from 2009 to 2014 and was its chairman in 2013.[14]
References
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Primary Election Returns, October 20, 2007.
- ↑ Term Limits and Representation in the Louisiana Legislature. allacademic.com. Retrieved on October 31, 2009; no longer on-line.
- ↑ Social Security Death Index. ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved on October 24, 2009; under pay wall.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "House District 85," Louisiana Encyclopedia (1999); material no longer accessible.
- ↑ New Orleans Port Authority. portno.com. Retrieved on October 24, 2009; no longer on-line.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 19, 1991.
- ↑ Louiiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.
- ↑ Toomy, Joseph F.. ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved on November 13, 2019.
- ↑ Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of New Orleans. ccano.org. Retrieved on October 24, 2009; no mention of Toomy in current on-line version of the article.
- ↑ Lawmakers Propose 90 Amendment. The New Orleans Times-Picayune (March 18, 2006). Retrieved on November 13, 2019; no longer any mention of Toomy in current on-line version of the story.
- ↑ Watchdog.net: The Good Government Site with Teeth. watchdog.net. Retrieved on October 24, 2009; no longer on-line.
- ↑ Joseph F Toomy from zip code 70054. watchdog.net. Retrieved on October 24, 2009; material no longer on-line.
- ↑ Gov. Edwards appoints Joseph Toomy to Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans: The veteran lawmaker who previously served a term as a Port NOLA Commissioner represents Jefferson Parish on the seven-member board. ajot.com (August 23, 2019). Retrieved on January 22, 2020.
