Meet Tony
State Representative Tony Ligi was elected to represent District 79 comprising North Kenner and a portion of the Metairie lakefront in 2007 and will return to office for the 2012-2016 term. He was unanimously elected by his colleagues to the House Appropriations Committee and was appointed by the House Speaker to serve on the House and Government Affairs Committee which led the post 2010 census redistricting process during his first term in office.
He also serves on the Joint Budget Committee, the House Retirement Committee and Audit Advisory Council.
He has been recognized by various organizations including the National Federation of Independent Business (Outstanding Freshman Legislator), the Chamber/SWLA (Business Champion), Louisiana Family Forum (Family Advocate Award and 2011 Outstanding Family Advocate), and the Extra Mile Southeast (Leadership Award for services to people with Disabilities). Additionally he has worked tirelessly to promote conservative values as reflected by his being named recipient of the 2009 Greater New Orleans Republican Legislator of the Year and 2010 John Hainkel Republican Leadership Award by the Republican House Delegation.
Tony has been a resident of District 79 since 1987 after establishing his law firm in the district in 1982. He graduated with honors from the Loyola University School of Law and is an attorney and President of Assured Title Agency. In 2009, he was listed in New Orleans Magazine as “Top Lawyers in the New Orleans Area.” He has received the highest peer review rating for legal skills and professionalism as listed in the Martindale-Hubbel Law Directory.
Prior to his election, Tony co-founded the Elmwood Park Civic Association and served as a President of that organization. He was a co-founder and served on the Board of Directors of Citizens For A Safer Jefferson, an organization which helped bring about many important post Katrina reforms in the Parish flood protection system. A long time member of the Jefferson Chamber, he is a graduate of the Jefferson Chamber Leadership Institute.
Tony served three years as chairman of the Republican Party of Jefferson Parish and was the recipient of the 2007 Patrick F. Taylor Republican Leadership Award and the Republican Hispanic Coalition Leadership Award in 2001. He was trusted with positions of Jefferson Parish Co-Chairman of Bobby Jindal for Governor in 2003 and Jefferson Parish Co-Chairman of David Vitter for Congress in 2000 and 2002. In 1995, Tony was declared a Fellow of the Loyola University Institute of Politics.
He is married to Diane Corte. They have three children, Jonathan, Elizabeth, and Jacqueline and are the proud grandparents of Sage Elizabeth.