Most voters in Avoyelles say ‘No new taxes’

   A parishwide 1-cent sales tax for Avoyelles Parish School District employees’ raises was defeated with 54 percent of voters saying “No.”

  Three Police Jury road districts rejected property taxes dedicated to funding maintenance, repairs and improvements of parish roads, bridges and roadside drainage.

  The only tax to pass was in Road District 2, which is made up of Wards 6, 7, 8 and 11 in the eastern part of the parish. 

  Jurors Henry Moreau and Trent Clark worked hard to garner support of the municipalities and civic organizations in that district. Their hard work resulted in 53 percent of those voting approving the 30-mill property tax. The two jurors expressed their thanks to the Road District 2 voters “for putting their trust in us.”

  Residents in that road district won’t reap the benefits of the tax approval until the 2017 property taxes are collected late next year.

 

Cottonport election

   In the only elected office runoff on the ballot, Cottonport Police Chief Earnest Anderson Jr. was re-elected with 63 percent of the votes over challenger Steven Gauthier. Cottonport’s turnout of 49.3 was the highest in the elections.

   “In the last four years I had the opportunity to meet a lot of people and did the best I could,” Anderson said. “I will continue to do the same in the next four years and continue to do the best I can.” 

  Anderson thanked the voters for re-electing him to his second four-year term. He said he will review the town’s budget for possible funding to improve the police department, including more work with the youth in the Cottonport area.

 

APSD sales tax 

   “We’re disappointed,” APSD Superintendent Blaine Dauzat said, “but we will continue to do our best to provide the best education for the children of Avoyelles Parish.”

   The sales tax would have funded a $5,500 across-the- board raise for teachers and $2,500 raise for support personnel.

 

Road District 2

  Although there will be no money to spend for another year, Moreau said the Road District 2 Commission will begin monthly meetings to develop priorities for road, bridge and drainage projects in the district.

  “One bridge we will have the engineer look at is the Desselle Crossing Bridge, which has been closed for some time,” Moreau said. “We will try to get an idea of what it would cost to fix it and see if it is feasible to fix.”

   There was a 29.7 percent turnout in District 2.

 

Other road districts

   Road District 1, which is Ward 2 and the city of Marksville, had the lowest turnout at 21.6 percent with 60 percent rejecting the proposed 25-mill road tax.

   Road District 3, which includes Wards 1, 3, 4 and 5, had the largest “No” vote with 64 percent voting against the 25-mill tax. About 25.3 of voters in that district voted. It includes Mansura and Hessmer.

   Voters in Road District 4 -- Wards 9 and 10, including Bunkie, Cottonport and Evergreen -- defeated that district’s 25-mill tax by a 57-43 percent margin.

 

Jones’ Comments

   Police Jury President Charles Jones said he can’t really say he is disappointed in the election results because he always knew the parish had an uphill fight to gain voter approval.

  “We felt that sectioning the parish into smaller elements would get people more involved in the process and put their tax dollars to use closer to them,” Jones said. “I just believe that the climate is just not in favor of any new taxes.”

   He said he is glad Road District 2’s tax passed because it will generate about $9 million over the next 10 years for much-needed road improvements and maintenance in the eastern wards.

  “The remainder of the parish will just have to deal with the reality of declining revenues,” Jones continued. “We have no casino revenue anymore, and the money from the state and federal governments is much less than it was in the past.

    “What I’m saying is that there will be no manna from heaven to help us.”

   Jones said the Police Jury will have to make changes in the way it operates.

   “The public will see a decline in services,” he said. “It may come to the point where we will have to go to contract-based services.”

   He said the jury had already discussed placing an employment cap of 34 maintenance personnel, “and that could go as low as 26.”

   Jones said jurors are still trying to avoid layoffs.

   The Police Jury has received applications for the new a civil works director position, but jurors may choose to postpone hiring the administrator in light of the current budget problems.

   “I believe the civil works director would improve leadership and management in the maintenance department,” Jones said. “I think it is a good investment, but it will be the whole jury’s decision.”

   He said the parish cannot continue “to do things the old way and go into debt. We can’t spend money we don’t have.”

  The Police Jury’s share of the election costs was $80,000, and Jones is not optimistic that the jurors representing the other three road districts will want to put propositions on the ballot anytime soon.

  “We will have to do some soul-searching on whether to call another tax election,” he said. “It’s not a case of putting it on the ballot every year until it passes. 

  “We will have to go to the public and ask them if there is anything we can do that would allow them to support a parish tax for road maintenance,” Jones continued. “In the end, we may just have to come to the conclusion that maybe this is how we will have to live from now on.”