Changes

From 1969 to 1973, he was the Alexandria finance and utilities commissioner, having been elected over the long-term incumbent, fellow Democrat Leroy Wilson (1905–1978).<ref name=lanier/> In 1973, however, as consumer electric bills climbed, voters replaced Lanier with [[business]]man and [[attorney]] [[Arnold Jack Rosenthal]], a Democrat who had vowed to bring down the utility rates. Alexandria is one a dozen or more Louisiana cities in which the municipal government owns and operates the utilities systems. The cities derive a portion of their operations funds from profit in the sale of utilities. Rosenthal was unable to enact major reductions because of steady increases in the fuel adjustment rate brought about by hikes in the price of [[natural gas]], a fuel used to produce electricity.​

From 1969 to 1973, he was the Alexandria finance and utilities commissioner, having been elected over the long-term incumbent, fellow Democrat Leroy Wilson (1905–1978).<ref name=lanier/> In 1973, however, as consumer electric bills climbed, voters replaced Lanier with [[business]]man and [[attorney]] [[Arnold Jack Rosenthal]], a Democrat who had vowed to bring down the utility rates. Alexandria is one a dozen or more Louisiana cities in which the municipal government owns and operates the utilities systems. The cities derive a portion of their operations funds from profit in the sale of utilities. Rosenthal was unable to enact major reductions because of steady increases in the fuel adjustment rate brought about by hikes in the price of [[natural gas]], a fuel used to produce electricity.​

==Mayoral years==

==An extended term as mayor==

In 1977, Lanier scored a political comeback, not for utilities commissioner, for that position had been abolished in the new city charter. Instead, he ran for mayor in a multi-candidate nonpartisan blanket [[primary]]. He forced controversial Mayor [[John K. Snyder]] into a runoff contest, which called the [[general election]] in Louisiana.<ref name=lanier/> Eliminated in the primary were [[Champ Baker]], a planning and development official active in veterans' causes; Judith Ward-Steinman Karst, the then wife of former Mayor [[Ed Karst]], outgoing Finance and Utilities Commissioner Arnold Jack Rosenthal, and former state Representative Larry Parker. In the second round of balloting, Lanier topped Snyder, 8,420votes  (68 percent) to 3,934  (32 percent). Upon taking office, Mayor Lanier removed eavesdropping devices that Snyder had installed throughout Alexandria City Hall. When Snyder refused to surrender his municipal car, Lanier had the payroll office withhold Snyder's final paycheck until the vehicle was returned to the city.<ref name=lanier/>​

In 1977, Lanier scored a political comeback, not for utilities commissioner, for that position had been abolished in the new city charter. Instead, he ran for mayor in a multi-candidate nonpartisan blanket [[primary]]. He forced controversial Mayor [[John K. Snyder]] into a runoff contest, which called the [[general election]] in Louisiana.<ref name=lanier/> Eliminated in the primary were [[Champ Baker]], a planning and development official active in veterans' causes; Judith Ward-Steinman Karst, the then wife of former Mayor [[Ed Karst]], outgoing Finance and Utilities Commissioner Arnold Jack Rosenthal, and former state Representative Larry Parker. In the second round of balloting, Lanier topped Snyder, 8,420votes  (68 percent) to 3,934  (32 percent). Upon taking office, Mayor Lanier removed eavesdropping devices that Snyder had installed throughout Alexandria City Hall. When Snyder refused to surrender his municipal car, Lanier had the payroll office withhold Snyder's final paycheck until the vehicle was returned to the city.<ref name=lanier/>​