[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Council to decide various ballot propositions

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Council to decide various ballot propositions

Published: Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 9:00 AM     Updated: Tuesday,
September 18, 2012, 9:14 AM

 By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune 

The St. Bernard Parish Council this afternoon is expected to approve the
placing of various propositions on the Dec. 8 ballot. The council meeting is
scheduled for 3 p.m. in the council chambers, 8201 W. Judge Perez Drive,
Chalmette.

Addressing its budge shortfalls, the council is expected to place a
proposition on the ballot that, if passed, would place a 10-year, 20-mill
property tax on the rolls "for acquiring, constructing, maintaining,
improving and operating fire protection facilities and purchasing fire
trucks and other firefighting equipment in St. Bernard Parish." The tax is
anticipated to bring in about $6 million annually.

Last month, the Parish Council unanimously passed a $32 monthly fee for
parish residents that will pay for the Fire Department's operation from
Sept. 1 through the end of the year so the administration would not have to
lay off any fire personnel.

That 20-mill tax would replace the $32 fee and would add about $90 -- or
about $7.50 a month -- to the annual tax bill of a $120,000 home that
qualifies for homestead exemption. It would add about $250 a year, or $20.83
a month, to the tax bill of a $200,000 home.

Councilmen have said that if the 20 mills are struck down, the $32 fee still
only would last through the remainder of the year.

Additionally, another ballot proposal, if passed, would allow the parish to
rededicate the proceeds of the current ½ percent sales tax for garbage and
waste disposal to be used for various other parish purposes. It brings in
about $3.7 million annually.

The idea is that nearly $4 million could help pay for other parish services
other than fire. The largest drain on the parish budget is the fire
department, which operates at a $5.5 million annual loss. If the sales tax
for garbage and waste is rededicated, the parish might start charging
residents a fee for garbage collection.

Another ballot proposal, if passed, would require all classified and
non-classified parish government employees to be a St. Bernard resident by
six months into the start of their employment. It would only apply to new
hires.

In other business, the council is set to vote on allowing the parish to take
out a $5 million bond for paying off current parish expenses.



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