Police Jury Tax Renewals/Continuations on March 9th Ballot
On Tuesday, March 9th, the Police Jury will have four tax renewals/continuations on the election ballot. These taxes fund a variety of services provided by the Police Jury. A profile of each tax is listed below, along with a contact person if more information is needed.
Tax: Property tax –Road and drainage
Amount: 4.06 mills
Term: 10 years, beginning in 2004 (2004 revenue estimate = $3.4 million)
Area: Parishwide
Purpose: Proposition language: Paying the cost of expenses, equipment and supplies related to construction, hardsurfacing and improving roads, highways, and bridges, and the necessary ditching and drainage related to these roads, and continuation of the Parish’s Road and Drainage Trust Fund in the amount of $1,000,000 annually to be appropriated to projects which have local, state or federal matching funds.
Comment: Over the past 10 years, this Trust Fund has produced over $45 million in high-priority projects with the $10 million local match provided by this tax. The remainder of the revenue goes to capital improvements on parish roads based on a priority point system.
Contact: Mark McMurry, Parish Administrator, or Bryan Beam, Assistant Administrator, at 721-3500.
Tax: Sales tax –Public Works
Amount: 1%
Term: 20 years, beginning September 1, 2004 (2004 revenue estimate = $10.1 million)
Area: All unincorporated areas
Purpose: Proposition language: Acquiring, constructing, maintaining, repairing and draining public roads, highways, bridges and parks, and purchasing and operating equipment and supplies therefor, with not less than one-third (1/3) of the tax revenues to be used specifically for the purchase of materials, equipment and services for the repair, maintenance and overlaying of parish roads.
Comment: This tax is the lifeblood of the Parish’s Public Works maintenance program as it funds the salaries, and day-to-day expenses of the crews that provide the maintenance of our 1300+ miles of parish road. It is the maintenance program that protects the investment of over $100 million that the taxpayers have made in the Parish road system, which is generally acknowledged to be the first in the State.
Contact: Mark McMurry, Parish Administrator, or Bryan Beam, Assistant Administrator, at 721-3500.
Tax: Property tax –Juvenile Justice Services
Amount: 3.49 mills
Term: 10 years, beginning in 2004 (2004 revenue estimate = $2.9 million)
Area: Parishwide
Purpose: Proposition language: Provides funding for operation of the Juvenile Center and offices which provide education, training, and counseling services and confinement for juvenile offenders; intervention programs for at-risk youth (Truancy, Drug Court, and Teen Court); and case management for juveniles on probation.
Comment: This tax sustains our Office of Juvenile Justices Services, which is widely recognized as one of the most progressive in the country.
Contact: Martha Parnell, Director, Office of Juvenile Justice Services at 721-3900.
Tax: Property tax –Health Unit Services
Amount: 2.48 mills (2004 revenue estimate = $2.1 million)
Term: 10 years, beginning in 2004
Area: Parishwide
Purpose: Purpose: Proposition language: Maintaining, operating, improving or constructing facilities and services of the Calcasieu Parish Health Unit (branches are in Lake Charles and Sulphur), whose purpose is to protect and promote public health and ensure access to medical and preventive services for Calcasieu citizens; and providing and/or contracting for other needed health-related services throughout the parish.
Comment: Examples of services that are provided with funding from this tax include, but are not limited to, the identification of unusual disease events; assistance in providing assurance that drinking water and food supplies are safe; programs designed to reduce infant and child morbidity, mortality, abuse and neglect; issuance of birth and death certificates; and provision of preventive services such as inoculations, instructional clinics, etc.
Contact: Dr. B.J. Foch, Regional Administrator, Calcasieu Parish Health Unit, Lake Charles Branch, at 475-3200.