Sheriff Seeks Tax Renewal Oct. 19

Sheriff Seeks Tax Renewal Oct. 19

Voters in East Baton Rouge Parish will go to the polls on Saturday, Oct. 19 to vote on three important property tax renewal propositions:

• Renewal of a 6.9 mill property tax levied to support the Sheriff’s office.  This tax produces $25 million a year to fund law enforcement and accounts for 30 percent of the Sheriff’s budget.

• Renewal of a 3.13 mill property tax to fund about half of the operating budget of the Emergency Medical Services in the parish.

• In Central, renewal of a 10-mill tax in the Central Fire Protection District.  The fire department in Central operations five fire stations and responds to thousands of calls a year.

Sheriff Sid Gautreaux issued the following statement regarding his proposed tax renewal:

“This month the community will have the opportunity to renew an existing millage that currently accounts for 30 percent of the Sheriff’s Office operating budget. The millage has been in place for almost 20 years.”

“It is used for community safety efforts, patrols, criminal technology, school outreach programs, and other public safety operations.”

“To put it in tangible terms, it is roughly equivalent to the starting salary and benefits of 544 deputies. To lose this millage would be detrimental to our department, and I believe the community.”

“It would mean substantially cutting back on deputies and services to the parish. I want to reiterate that this is a renewal and will cost no additional money. I hope that on Oct. 19th, the community will vote for the renewal and keep the Sheriff’s office working. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux.”

Also on the ballot will be the election of a new Justice of the Peace in Ward 3-3. The candidates include Kenesha Antoine, Jerry Arbour, Mariano Hinojosa, Steve Myers, and Larry Spencer.

 

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