Local News
BATON ROUGE METRO COUNCIL IS AT IT AGAIN:
River Park Development District
posted 05/09/11
It appears that the ordinance for River Park Development District will probably pass the Metro Council. If you read the LA law that created the River Park district (see below for section relative to taxes) I believe the commission has to approve any tax increases and the metro council has to also approve IF there are not any voters in the district. There are probably no voters in this district yet. This ordinance appears to me to give the district the authority to raise taxes without any additional future approval by the council. Note that the amount of possible new taxes is not even addressed in this proposed ordinance.
The following is from the bill that created the district:
F. Levy of Taxes. (1) It is expressly provided that any taxes levied by
13the district, or any subdistrict created by the district, may exceed the limitation
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set forth by Article VI, Section 29(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana and shall
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be imposed, collected and enforced subject to the terms of the resolution
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imposing the tax and the provisions of Chapter 2 of Subtitle II of Title 47 of the
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Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
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(2) Any taxes or assessments of any type to be levied by the district, or
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any subdistrict created by the district, shall be levied only after the board has
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adopted an appropriate resolution giving notice of its intention to levy such
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taxes or assessments, which resolution shall include a general description of the
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taxes or assessments to be levied, and notice of this intention shall be published
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once a week for two weeks in the official journal of the district, the first
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publication to appear at least fourteen days before the public meeting of the
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board at which the board will meet in open and public session to hear any
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objections to the proposed taxes or assessments. The notice of intent so
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published shall state the date, time, and place of the public hearing. Such taxes
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or assessments may be levied only after the board has called a special election
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submitting the proposition for the levy of such taxes or assessments to the
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qualified electors of the district or subdistrict, as applicable, and the proposition
SB NO. 611 ENROLLED
Page 8 of 13
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored
are additions.
1
has received the favorable vote of a majority of the electors voting in the
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election; however, in the event there are no qualified electors in the district or
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subdistrict, as applicable, as certified by the registrar of voters, no such election
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shall be required. The powers and rights conferred by this Section shall be in
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addition to the powers and rights conferred by any other general or special law.
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This Section does and shall be construed to provide a complete and additional
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method for the levy of any taxes or assessments. No election, proceeding, notice,
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or approval shall be required for the levy of such taxes or assessments except
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as provided herein.
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(3) In the event that a tax under this Section is proposed for the district
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or for a subdistrict where there are no qualified electors, such tax shall not
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become effective unless and until it is approved by the city-parish council.
From the May 11 Agenda for the Metro Council:
X. An Ordinance authorizing the City of Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the River Park Development District; approving the form and terms of such Cooperative Endeavor Agreement; authorizing the River Park Development District to levy an
additional sales and use tax and an additional hotel occupancy tax within its boundaries; and taking other matters in connection therewith. By: Bond Counsel.
(F&E recommends approval)
Smiley Heights
posted 05/09/11:
There is a Notice on 4A of the Sunday Advocate today that gives notice that $1,500,000 of federal CDBG funds will be used to purchase land for Smiley Heights project which also involves wetlands. I think this is more of an example of development and not redevelopment by the government. There is an e-mail in the notice to send comments.
In addition there is also a story of the Future BR plan which uses $1.9 million in federal hurricane recovery dollars. I have read the initial plan and was not impressed and personally do not like the idea of creating more TIF areas (another subject). The Future BR plan is an acceleratedrevision of the Horizon plan that I believe was not really needed now.
I believe these 2 stories are a good example of government waste on all levels. I think this money could have not been used at all or used for better things. For example, $3.4 million of federal funds will be spent on projects like this when CATS needs about $1.2 million, and the Mayor has stated that infrastructure has been neglected for 50 years so we need to increase local taxes.
In addition, FYI there is a story on page 9A of the newspaper concerning the national budget.
No wonder the USA has a $14 trillion debt.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
Metropolitan Council Meeting
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
12. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS:
A. INTRODUCTION:
1. An Ordinance authorizing the City of Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the River Park Development District; approving the form and terms of such Cooperative Endeavor Agreement; authorizing the River Park Development District to levy an additional sales and use tax and an
additional hotel occupancy tax within its boundaries; and taking other matters in connection therewith. By: Bond Counsel.
Introduce for public hearing on May 11, 2011 and refer back to the F&E meeting of
May 4, 2011
B. ITEM:
1. Establish a committee to study, obtain financial information and crime statistics in order to determine the feasibility of forming one police department for the entire parish; and to draft an ordinance for its creation to be placed on a ballot for a public vote. This committee shall consist of three metropolitan council members, a representative of the Baton Rouge City Police Department and a representative of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Department.
By: Councilman Loupe.
2. ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BIDS:
A. CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS: *LOCAL
**IN STATE
1. Bridge Replacement For Bluegrass Drive Over Robert Canal Tributary No.1Project 10-BR-CI-0036- Account 145.7545002.652330.5304110 ESTIMATE: $255,000.00
*Industrial Enterprises, Inc. $152,175.74
*Grady Crawford Construction Co., Inc $198,885.14
*Covenant General Contractors, Inc. $200,462.00
This is link for an early story about the River Park development:
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/18919299.html?index=1&c=y
If you wish more information please click here.
East Baton Rouge Parish Library Board of Control Meeting to Be Televised
The next Library Board meeting is Thursday, the 17th of this month, February, 2011. It will probably be at the Goodwood Main Library, but we'll keep everyone updated on the exact date, time and location.
For the first time ever, the LBC meeting will be recorded and then televised. This will shine a light on how this seven-member appointed board spends our millions of dollars in tax money.