[StBernard] Forward from Councilman Hunnicutt Fwd: 9/4/12 council meeting newsletter

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Fri Sep 7 09:35:22 EDT 2012


FYI - You can sign up to receive the newsletter from Councilman Hunnicutt by emailing him or signup on the council webpage. Councilman Hunnicutt's newsletter copied below concerning three issues up for vote December 8th:
1) Additional Fire Millage
2) Change sales tax dedicated to garbage collection to go to general fund and add individual garbage collection fee
3) Personnel changes (Amendment to Home Rule Charter)

Attached listing of current property tax mills and sales taxes also at this link:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/128513133/Tax-Structure-2012 .


Three December 8th Voter Referendums available on 9_6_2012 council agenda on SBPG website council page under meeting minutes and agenda's also at this link http://www.sbpg.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3323&Itemid=23


PROPOSITION
(FIRE MILLAGE)

Summary: 10 year, 20 mills property tax for acquiring, constructing, maintaining, improving and operating fire protection facilities and purchasing fire trucks and other fire fighting equipment in St. Bernard Parish.


Shall the Parish of St. Bernard, State of Louisiana (the “Parish”), levy a special tax of twenty (20) mills on all property subject to taxation within the Parish (an estimated $5,995,655 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2013 and ending with the year 2022, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, maintaining, improving and operating fire protection facilities and purchasing fire trucks and other fire fighting equipment in the Parish?


PROPOSITION
(SALES TAX REDEDICATION)

Summary: Authority to rededicate the proceeds of a 1/2% sales and use tax authorized at an election held on November 3, 1992, for various purposes.
Shall the Parish of St. Bernard, State of Louisiana (the “Parish”), be authorized to rededicate all of the proceeds heretofore or hereafter received by the Parish from the levy and collection of a 1/2% sales and use tax authorized at an election on November 3, 1992 (the “Sales Tax”) (an estimated $3,700,860 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the Sales Taxes for an entire year), so that such proceeds (after paying the reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of collecting and administering the Sales Tax) may be used for any lawful corporate purpose of the Parish, including, but not limited to, the original purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and operating garbage and waste disposal and collection facilities and garbage and waste disposal and collection equipment in and for the Parish, and shall the Parish be further authorized to fund the proceeds of the Sales Tax into bonds from time to time for any one or more capital purposes, to the extent and in the manner permitted by the laws of Louisiana?

The Third Voter Referendum: Modify the personnel system 12. Summary No. 2854 <http://www.sbpg.net/images/stories/council/1-10-12%20agenda.doc>
Introduced by: Councilman Lewis on 9/4/12 AN ORDINANCE ORDERING AND CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE PARISH OF ST. BERNARD, STATE OF LOUISIANA, ON DECEMBER 8, 2012, TO AMEND ARTICLE IV SEC. 4-10 (a) OF THE ST. BERNARD PARISH HOME RULE CHARTER TO MODIFY THE PERSONNEL SYSTEM; MAKING APPLICATION TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION IN CONNECTION THEREWITH; AND PROVID­ING FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THERE­WITH.
There was no other information available at this time.
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-----Original Message-----
From: Casey Hunnicutt <chunnicutt at sbpg.net>
To: Casey Hunnicutt <chunnicutt at sbpg.net>
Sent: Thu, Sep 6, 2012 9:21 pm
Subject: 9/4/12 council meeting newsletter


I apologize for just getting around to sending out the meeting highlights for the meeting on Tuesday. There were no zoning changes for introduction or adoption at this meeting. The only items worth highlighting were the two propositions that were introduced to be placed on the December 8th ballot. Proposition #1 if passed would place an additional 20 mills on your property tax assessment. The twenty mills would be dedicated revenue for the Fire Department, which would relieve approximately $6 million dollars of sales tax transfers to the Fire Department budget. This proposition if passed would supplant the current $32.00 fire fee that has been placed on your water bill until the December 8th ballot. It is important to note that the need for the $32.00 fee would be terminated if the 20 mill increase were to pass. Proposition #2 if passed would rededicate the ½ cent sanitation sales tax to the general fund. This would result in the residents having to pay their own garbage collection fee of approximately $15.50 per month depending upon ongoing negotiations to lower the fee with the current service provider. This would rededicate approximately $3 to $4 million dollars a year to the general fund. If both of these items were to pass the budget woes would essentially be solved, but more importantly if Proposition #1 passes the Fire Department would be fully funded with a dedicated source of revenue, therefore, removing the Fire Department from ever being placed on the “chopping block”, as it has been called. I believe that having the Fire Department fully funded with a dedicated revenue source is vital to maintaining the current level of service that our first responders provide our residents as well as the low fire insurance premiums that we all enjoy. Again, if you have any questions or concerns that I did not answer please feel free to respond and I will do my best to answer your question. Also, I have attached a spreadsheet to this email that was prepared by Councilman McInnis which breaks down the St. Bernard Parish Tax Structure with rates and figures included.

Yours truly,

Casey
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