Allen Police Jury putting tax up for vote for fifth time
Last Modified: Thursday, July 05, 2012 12:02 PM
By Doris Maricle / American Press
OBERLIN — Allen Parish police jurors aren’t giving up on a parish courthouse tax, even though voters have defeated it five times.
Police jurors voted Monday to place the 10-year, 4-mill maintenance tax on the Nov. 6 ballot, hoping voters will approve the measure this time.
The tax would help cover the cost of maintenance, insurance, utilities and repairs for all parish buildings and offices, including the courthouse complex.
It was last approved in 1995 and expired in 2005. It was last defeated in 2009.
Police Juror Matthew Fontenot said the tax would generate $300,000 a year.
The lack of a dedicated tax has forced the Police Jury to rely on money that could have been used elsewhere, he said.
“There is no dedicated money to take care of our public buildings, and with growing cost we are using our general fund and (gambling) compact funds to help maintain them,” Fontenot said.
The parish transferred more than $300,000 from other accounts last year to cover courthouse and other building expenses, according to auditor Tim Gates. The transfers included $160,000 for utilities, $60,000 for insurance and $42,000 for wages.
Police jurors also placed the continuation of a 10-year, 5.3-mill maintenance tax for Road District 5 in the Oakdale area on the Nov. 6 ballot. It should generate $140,000 a year.
Also, police jurors called for a Dec. 8 election to renew a 10-year, 5-mill tax for Recreation District 6 in Reeves. It would generate $54,000 a year to maintain and run recreation facilities.
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