Calcasieu Parish voters Tuesday approved a 10-year renewal of the 1.5-mill Burton Coliseum and Agricultural Services property
tax, which helps maintain several facilities within the parish.
Complete but unofficial results from the parish Clerk of Court show that the tax was approved 50,545-23,959, or 68 percent
to 32 percent.
The parishwide tax has been in place
since 1993 and is expected to generate about $2.35 million each year. Of
that total,
$1.8 million will fund the Burton Coliseum complex; $325,000 will
fund the West Calcasieu Community Center Authority, which
owns Sulphur’s West Calcasieu Arena; and another $325,000 will
fund the LSU AgCenter.
Parish Administrator Bryan Beam said he is glad that residents understand how the tax benefits the parish. He said the Burton
Coliseum hosts more than 200 events each year, and the West Cal Arena hosts 170 events annually.
“We’re just glad to see the margin of victory was solid,” Beam said. “The result was a good affirmation of how people feel
about the services that are provided through this tax.”
The Burton Coliseum is undergoing $5 million in improvements. It is owned by the Police Jury and is managed by McNeese State
University.
Voters approved the renewal a 10-year, 7-mill maintenance tax for maintaining and improving services in Ward 1 Fire Protection
District 1. There vote was 6,455-1,919, or 77 percent to 23 percent.
The tax is expected to generate nearly $400,000 annually.
Voters also approved a 10-year, 8.5 mill property tax renewal to pay for maintenance and operational costs for the Ward 4
Fire Protection District 2. There vote was 3,249-963, or 77 percent to 23 percent.
The tax is expected to collect $1.16 million annually.
Voters approved limiting the terms of Calcasieu School Board members to three consecutive four-year terms by a 61,692-13,784
margin, 82 percent to 18 percent.
In Vinton, voters approved renewing for 10 years the existing half of a 1 percent sales and use tax for road maintenance and
fire protection. The margin was 817-196, or 81 percent to 19 percent.
The tax is estimated to generate $168,611 annually.
Constitutional Amendments
Calcasieu voters approved nearly eight of nine Louisiana Constitutional Amendments on the ballot.
They approved an amendment to constitutionally protect the Medicaid Trust Fund for the elderly 54,571-22,725, or 71 percent
to 29 percent.
Voters approved an amendment that requires any laws that restrict the right for people to keep and bear arms to go through
the highest level of judicial review. 59,430-18,138, or 77 percent to 23 percent.
Voters approved an amendment that requires a quicker notice for legislation filed that affects the state’s public retirement
system 52,016-22,376 or 70 percent to 30 percent.
Voters approved an amendment that
allows a spouse of a deceased veteran who had 100 percent
service-related disability rating
to claim a higher homestead exemption, even if it wasn’t in effect
when the veteran died. There were 57,809 “yes” votes, or
77 percent, and 16,873 “no” votes, or 23 percent.
Voters approved an amendment that would allow courts to include forfeiture of a portion of a public retirement benefit as
part of a sentence for a public servant convicted of a felony related to his or her office 56,048-19,474, or “74 percent
to 26 percent.
Voters rejected an amendment that would allow New Iberia to grant city property tax exemptions to any property owner annexed
into the city after Jan. 1, 2013, 42,348-29,976, or 59 percent to 41 percent.
Voters approved an amendment that
changes the membership of certain boards and commissions to reflect the
loss of one congressional
district as a result of the 2010 census. 45,504-26,702, or 63
percent to 37 percent.
Voters approved an amendment that allows parishes to permit a local 10-year property tax exemption for certain non-manufacturing
businesses locating or expanding in the parish 39,531-32,787, or 55 percent to 45 percent.
Voters approved an amendment that increases the number of times bills to create crime prevention or security districts must
be advertised and requires the specifics of the bills to be listed in the advertisement. 42,664-29,424, or 59 percent to
41 percent.