School board tax proposition isn't the only one on the ballot
When voters in some St. Landry voting precincts arrive at the polls March 26, they will be faced with deciding whether to renew one property tax in addition to considering four new millage propositions.
Only one of the propositions involves a parishwide mandate — a three-part St. Landry School District ballot that asks voters to consider separately as much as 22 mills in new property taxes over 10 years for employee raises, athletic facility upgrades and new elementary school construction in four areas of the parish.
The two other millage propositions are more localized.
More: St. Landry Board considering new schools, price tag and number of facilities increasing
School board property tax
Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said Monday the school board has no intention of pulling the March 26 proposition off the ballot, despite the potential competition for property tax revenues from unrelated Fire Protection District 5 and Lawtell Gravity Drainage District elections.
“The (School District) tax has already been placed on the ballot, and we are past the time where we could go back and change that if we wanted to. At least one of the other propositions is a renewal,” Jenkins said.
A document prepared by bonding attorney Eric Lafleur on May 6 indicates that the School Board election was scheduled for advertisement in the Daily World Jan. 12.
Elected school officials were told last year that the District already collects 20.3 mills in property taxes.
Jenkins said that is among the five lowest among school district property taxes currently being collected in school districts statewide.
The district property tax proposition is divided into three parts, meaning voters will be allowed to vote on the individual issues of teacher raises, facility improvements and the capital outlay plan for the new schools.
If approved, one proposition (9.9 mills) would raise $6.5 million annually for employees’ salaries. Another proposition (1 mill) would provide $662,379 yearly for the athletic facilities.
Building the new schools in Opelousas, Eunice, Lawtell and the Beau Chene areas will require at least 11.9 mills in new property taxes, the bond proposal says.
School Board members have been told that Phase 1 for the new school construction could cost as much as $150 million..
Fire Protection District 5 renewal
This millage renewal is asking voters serviced in the Leonville, Arnaudville, Prairie Laurent areas to keep a 14.25-mill property tax for operational and equipment expenses for the volunteer fire district.
According to the ballot proposition adopted by a St. Landry Parish Council resolution Oct. 20, the Fire District expects to receive if approved an estimated $497,400 annually over a 10-year period beginning 2023.
A 2020 Fire District 5 audit report filed with the Louisiana State Auditor indicates the district received $592,000 in revenues during that budgetary year, while spending $292,000.
The Louisiana Insurance Rating Bureau in 2021 gave Fire Protection District 5 a rating of 3 in the towns of Leonville and Arnaudville and a rating of 4 in the rural areas.
Lawtell gravity drainage district
The Parish Council also adopted a separate Oct. 20 resolution for a special 5.03 mill property tax in the drainage district area west of Opelousas.
If approved by voters, the tax would add $75,000 in annual revenue over a 10-year period beginning in 2022 that enables the district to operate and execute possible construction plans.
This article originally appeared on Opelousas Daily World: St. Landry school board tax proposal, more on March 26 election
