Kay Katz
Encyclopedia
Kay Kellogg Katz is a departing Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
, having represented from 2000 to 2012 District 16 in Ouachita Parish
in northeastern Louisiana
.
Effective in 2012, the revised district will encompass fifteen precincts in Ouachita Parish and thirty precincts in neighboring Morehouse Parish
. Katz will be succeeded in the House by the Democrat Katrina Jackson, who received 51 percent of the vote over three opponents in the primary election held on October 22, 2011.
, Katz is a former member of the Monroe City Council, on which he served as council chairman and as a member of the Street Improvement Committee.
Katz graduated from Neville High School in Monroe and procured a Bachelor of Arts
degree in English
from Mississippi State University
at Starkville
, Mississippi
. A former teacher, she has a long record of civic involvement. She is active in the Parent Teacher Association, Rotary International
, American Heart Association
, Ouachita Parish Recycling Commission, Monroe Tree Board, the Fort Miro chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
, Monroe Airport Advisory Board, the Cerebral Palsy
Telethon, Monroe Garden Club, and the University of Louisiana at Monroe
Tomahawk Club. She was named "Woman of the Year" by the Monroe Quota Club.
A patron of the arts, Katz is active in the Monroe Symphony and has served on the boards of both the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council and the Louisiana State Arts Council. She was vice president of the Monroe Little Theatre
during the organization and construction of the children's section. In 2000, the Louisiana Museum Association selected her as "Legislator of the Year" in her first year in office. She has been associated with the Masur Museum, ULM Art Department, and ULM Foundation for the Performing Arts, Children's Museum, Twin City (Monroe/West Monroe
Ballet, and the Masterworks Chorus.
Katz is a former Louisiana Republican national committeewoman, she was automatically a member of the 168-member Republican National Committee
. Like the state Republican National Committeeman Ross Little, Jr., of Lafayette
, Katz endorsed U.S. Senator John McCain
of Arizona
for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Katz was succeeded as national committeewoman by Ruth Ulrich, formerly the producer and announcer of the Moon Griffon
radio
talk show
program based in Monroe.
In 2008, Katz was elected treasurer of the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus for a term which ended on June 30, 2009.
In her initial election to succeed Democrat
Jimmy N. Dimos, who was elected to a judgeship, Katz led the October 1999 nonpartisan blanket primary with 6,039 votes (49 percent). Fellow Republican Tony Cain finished second with 3,010 votes (24 percent) and decided not to pursue a general election
campaign against Katz. She was hence automatically elected based on her primary showing. A Democrat, Dan Street, finished third with 2,944 votes (also 24 percent), and a "No Party" candidate, Chuck James, polled 403 votes (3 percent). Katz was unopposed for her second term in the 2003 primary.
In the Louisiana House, she served on three committees: Health and Welfare, Transportation, Highways and Public Works, and Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs. In the legislature, Katz is considered one of the more consistent conservative members. Since 2004, for instance, she has been rated 100 percent by to the Louisiana Family Forum
. She is also highly ranked by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
.
. Ben Katz, a native of Starkville, Mississippi, was the son of Ben Katz, Sr., and the former Mildred Stanley. He graduated from Starkville High School and Mississippi State University. He was a senior vice president of Amax Coal Company and president of Deposit Trust Bank. Ben Katz served on the boards of the Council on Aging, the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, Monroe Rotary, and the Council of Retired Executives.
By her late husband Kay Katz has three children, Dr. Robert Britton "Brit" Katz (born 1957), Kelley K. Vance (born 1958), and Kris K. Coons. The Katzes are Presbyterian. At the time of his passing, Ben Katz was the only Republican member of the Monroe City Council. In his third term from Council District 2, he had succeeded his wife on the council after victory in a special election called in 2000 after Kay Katz entered the legislature.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
, having represented from 2000 to 2012 District 16 in Ouachita Parish
Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
-National protected areas:* Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge* D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 147,250 people, 55,216 households, and 38,319 families residing in the parish. The population density was 241 people per square mile...
in northeastern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
Effective in 2012, the revised district will encompass fifteen precincts in Ouachita Parish and thirty precincts in neighboring Morehouse Parish
Morehouse Parish, Louisiana
Morehouse Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Bastrop. In 2000, the parish population was 31,021....
. Katz will be succeeded in the House by the Democrat Katrina Jackson, who received 51 percent of the vote over three opponents in the primary election held on October 22, 2011.
Background
A resident of MonroeMonroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, Katz is a former member of the Monroe City Council, on which he served as council chairman and as a member of the Street Improvement Committee.
Katz graduated from Neville High School in Monroe and procured a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
from Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
at Starkville
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. A former teacher, she has a long record of civic involvement. She is active in the Parent Teacher Association, Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
, American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
, Ouachita Parish Recycling Commission, Monroe Tree Board, the Fort Miro chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
, Monroe Airport Advisory Board, the Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
Telethon, Monroe Garden Club, and the University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of Louisiana at Monroe
The University of Louisiana at Monroe is a coeducational public university in Monroe, Louisiana and part of the University of Louisiana System.-History:...
Tomahawk Club. She was named "Woman of the Year" by the Monroe Quota Club.
A patron of the arts, Katz is active in the Monroe Symphony and has served on the boards of both the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council and the Louisiana State Arts Council. She was vice president of the Monroe Little Theatre
Little Theatre
The Little Theatre in Rochester, New York, commonly known as "The Little" is a movie theatre located on historic East Avenue in downtown Rochester, New York and a modest non-profit multiplex specializing in art film, including independent and foreign productions outside the United States.Founded in...
during the organization and construction of the children's section. In 2000, the Louisiana Museum Association selected her as "Legislator of the Year" in her first year in office. She has been associated with the Masur Museum, ULM Art Department, and ULM Foundation for the Performing Arts, Children's Museum, Twin City (Monroe/West Monroe
West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,250 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area....
Ballet, and the Masterworks Chorus.
Katz is a former Louisiana Republican national committeewoman, she was automatically a member of the 168-member Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
. Like the state Republican National Committeeman Ross Little, Jr., of Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, Katz endorsed U.S. Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Katz was succeeded as national committeewoman by Ruth Ulrich, formerly the producer and announcer of the Moon Griffon
Moon Griffon
Blane M. Griffon, known as Moon Griffon is a conservative radio talk show host who broadcasts statewide through station KMLB FM in Monroe, the seat of Ouachita Parish in northeastern Louisiana. He has sometimes been called the "Rush Limbaugh of Louisiana" though his program reflects his distinct...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
program based in Monroe.
In 2008, Katz was elected treasurer of the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus for a term which ended on June 30, 2009.
Legislative matters
On October 20, 2007, Katz defeated fellow Republican Ben Marshall, a former Ouachita Parish police juror [equivalent of county commissioner in most states), in her bid for a third term in House District 16 in the nonpartisan blanket primary. Katz received 8,617 votes (64 percent) to Marshall's 4,116 (31 percent); a No-Party candidate, Benjamin P. Arnold, received 749 votes (6 percent).In her initial election to succeed Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jimmy N. Dimos, who was elected to a judgeship, Katz led the October 1999 nonpartisan blanket primary with 6,039 votes (49 percent). Fellow Republican Tony Cain finished second with 3,010 votes (24 percent) and decided not to pursue a general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
campaign against Katz. She was hence automatically elected based on her primary showing. A Democrat, Dan Street, finished third with 2,944 votes (also 24 percent), and a "No Party" candidate, Chuck James, polled 403 votes (3 percent). Katz was unopposed for her second term in the 2003 primary.
In the Louisiana House, she served on three committees: Health and Welfare, Transportation, Highways and Public Works, and Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs. In the legislature, Katz is considered one of the more consistent conservative members. Since 2004, for instance, she has been rated 100 percent by to the Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum is a social conservative non-profit advocacy group based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The organization supports Louisiana's covenant marriage law and opposes abortion and same-sex marriage...
. She is also highly ranked by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, known by the acronym LABI, is the largest and most successful business lobbying group in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was founded in Baton Rouge in 1976, when Louisiana adopted a new right-to-work law during the administration of Democratic...
.
Personal life
Katz was married to Ben Sanders Katz, Jr. (March 3, 1938–January 13, 2010), until his death at the age of seventy-one from complications of pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. Ben Katz, a native of Starkville, Mississippi, was the son of Ben Katz, Sr., and the former Mildred Stanley. He graduated from Starkville High School and Mississippi State University. He was a senior vice president of Amax Coal Company and president of Deposit Trust Bank. Ben Katz served on the boards of the Council on Aging, the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, Monroe Rotary, and the Council of Retired Executives.
By her late husband Kay Katz has three children, Dr. Robert Britton "Brit" Katz (born 1957), Kelley K. Vance (born 1958), and Kris K. Coons. The Katzes are Presbyterian. At the time of his passing, Ben Katz was the only Republican member of the Monroe City Council. In his third term from Council District 2, he had succeeded his wife on the council after victory in a special election called in 2000 after Kay Katz entered the legislature.