Special Election For School Board Set for Saturday

Voters throughout Louisiana will go to the polls this Saturday, Nov. 13 to vote on four proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution.

Here in Central, voters in School Board District 4 will also choose a replacement for long-time board member Will Easley who resigned in January.  Mr. Easley’s primary issue over the years was making sure property taxes were never raised without a vote of the people. He was successful in doing that for 14 years. However, after he resigned, the school board appointed Phil Graham as his interim replacement. Mr. Graham took up the banner of reversing Mr. Easley’s policy. In June, Mr. Graham convinced the Central School Board to roll property taxes forward — a tax increase of $3.75 million over five years without a vote of the people.

The tax goes into effect Jan. 1.

That tax increase has been the main issue between Graham and his opponent, Kim Powers. She opposes raising taxes without a vote of the people. She has hit that issue hard in her campaign literature, public statements, and advertising.  Mask mandates and vaccine mandates have also been an important issue in the campaign.

Mr. Graham said the governor’s mandate requiring students to mask in school is “the law.”  Mr. Powers says the governor has no power over BESE or local school boards.  The Attorney General has issued two opinions saying the governor has no such power.

Both candidates have been actively campaigning.  Mr. Graham has been doing some walking and sent out several mailings.  Mrs. Powers has been walking door to door, sign-waving at major intersections, sending out mailings, and making calls.

Both candidates are advertising in the final days of the campaign. 

The polls close at 8 p.m. Saturday.