The legislature of Louisiana hereby finds and declares that the health, safety, and welfare of the people of this state are dependent upon the continued encouragement, development, growth, and expansion of the private sector within the state. The legislature further finds and declares that there are certain depressed areas in the state that need the particular attention of government to help attract private sector investment into these areas, as well as many local economic efforts which could benefit from the assistance and input of state government. Therefore, it is declared to be the purpose of this Chapter to stimulate business and industrial growth in these areas of the state by the relaxation of governmental controls, by providing assistance to businesses and industries, and by providing tax incentives in these areas. It is further declared that the effective administration of both the enterprise zone program and the economic development zone program is the sole responsibility of the Department of Economic Development which, by state law, is charged with coordinating those plans and programs aimed at developing optimum conditions for new and expanding industrial and commercial enterprises in this state with units of local government.
La. R.S. § 51:1782