re: Baton Rougeans...how much better would life be in St George?

Tree fiddy African-American

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So like Prairieville?

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With proper zoning

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doubleb

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Dude, I admire your tenacity and passion. I mean, you don't often see multiple double and even one or two triple posts by the same poster in one thread.

I can't say you've said anything that would convince me that the plan is a good idea, but then again I don't live in the area, so it's not me you need to convince.

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You call 211 to get a ditch cleaned and you are lucky to get any service at all even though there a plenty of well paid chiefs in that dept. 

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Im not Surprised you dont get any service calling that number.


May have found the problem you are having getting the services the parish provides.

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Everyone knows for damn sure life will not improv

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Life is just terrible out there off Highland and old Perkins.


Although I did see quite a few new for sale Signs in Santa Maria and Willows today.

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Does this mean St Geoegeans will be seeing a reduction in their taxes compared to what they pay now??

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The same. 2% sales tax goes from the general fund to city of SG. Property taxes stay the same (well until we get into the numbers for the ISD).

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Does this mean St Geoegeans will be seeing a reduction in their taxes compared to what they pay now??

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That's a good question.

The proposed budget indicates there would be a large surplus. In that case I'd suggest either the sales tax be cut in SG or a capital campaign be started to improve things in SG. It could go to drainage, streets, etc.
And perhaps schools if an ISD is crested.

But the key thing is the voters of SG and only SG would decide. We wouldn't need the permission of others to determine what we do with our taxes.

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Those St. George leaders have no clue how much money they will need. Taxes will likely be over 10% on sales and they will most likely have to add property taxes to cover other unexpected cost and there is still no school in the budget.

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You dont know what youre talking about.

Youre right about the schools. Thats a big ticket item but the rest of it happens all over the State every day.

I live in unincorporated(CDP) St. Tammany and we have no less than 7 incorporated towns/cities. Slidell, Pearl River, Mandeville, Madisonville, Covington, Abita Springs and Folsom.

All handle services differently. Some pick it up on the city tab through local property tax millages and sales tax. Some let the Parish handle almost everything else. Mandeville, for example, has its own courthouse, PD, sewer, water and garbage contract. It lets the Parish handle the schools and FD. On the other end of the spectrum, Abita Springs lets the Parish handle everything except local roads. Which always become the responsibility of the city/town/village when they incorporate. Abita Springs doesnt have their own PD or FD. I think they dont have sewer, water or garbage either. I could be wrong about that though. They do have their own town hall.

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push for STG exposed the "dirty little secret" of how the unincorporated areas are in many ways the "cash cow" for the city

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This is an understated truth.

Where I live, Lacombe, residents here pay more into the Parish in taxes than they receive in services. A larger percentage of the Parish budget per citizen, is spent in the incorporated cities in the Parish which is horseshite since those residents living in the incorporated city limits already pay more for better services. They get that, plus more per citizen from the Parish budget.

From what I understand, Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany actually was borne from Concerned Citizens of Lacombe because of the situation described above.

This is why many unincorporated areas end up incorporating. They feel they arent getting their share of the pie. Lacombe has resisted incorporation for generations because people here love their low tax burden, freedom and the feeling of independence that comes from providing your own sewer, water and garbage and not being under the thumb of more government laws, codes, rules and regulations and taxes...and taxes....and taxes.

I have a house in unincorporated Lacombe as well as one in incorporated Mandeville. I pay more for everything for my house in Mandeville. Water is more. Sewer is more and inexplicably, garbage is more. Service is actually worse. For my house in Lacombe, my sewer never backups since it empties to open air 50' from my treatment tank. When it gets full once every 10 years I get it pumped for $300. I pay a few cents per month in electricity to run it. I never have a boil water order or pressure issues that are outside of my control since my water comes from a 300' well on my property. My water is clean, safe and consistent and I pay $6 per month in electricity to run the well pump. My garbage contract is in my control. If I dont like the service being provided I cancel it and go with one of the other 4 or 5 companies competing for my business. Free market means I pay $20 for garbage service instead of the bureaucratically adjusted cost of $40 for my house in Mandeville.

Whats so especially outrageous about the garbage situation between the two, is garbage is the easiest example of how government solutions always cost more and provide lesser quality. One of the biggest supposed advantages of incorporation is volume discounting and pooled negotiating power for contracting. Because an incorporated city/town is requesting a contract for garbage for such a large number of potential customers from a garbage service provider, they should be getting the very best rate. But thats almost never the case and in fact its very often MORE expensive than if you just picked up the phone and got Joe Blow Garbage Truck Inc. to come pick up your trash. Yet, if you live in an incorporated city/town they wont even allow you to do that. You would be stepping on their toes, taking back power and biting into their honey pots.

This all tells me what I already know about government. Its inherently inefficient. The bureaucratic effect is strong. Its one of the reasons I vote Libertarian down the line. It also the reason that people who have only ever lived in a city(most suburbanites, millennials, black folk, etc) tend to vote for more government. They dont know any better because its all theyve ever known. Theyve never tasted the sweet satisfying flavor, the freedom and pride that comes from providing for yourself without the intrusion....ehem...."help", of government.