We bitch so often about taxes and the prices of things but we don’t show up when it matters. Homeowners insurance renewals are out of our hands but we do have a say in property taxes.

This is the 3rd? 4th? election so far this year and they do it on purpose- putting some obscure property tax renewals and new proposals on a random arse Saturday in May expecting that people won’t show up to vote….and numbers say we don’t!

Last election that had only tax renewals, had a 14% voter turnout last Spring. So about 40,000 dictated our property taxes and I’m gonna go out on a wing say all 40,000 of those aren’t even property owners.

If you’re tired of subsidizing the services for others who don’t pay into the system, here’s your chance.

This weekends ballot has 5 EBR School System property tax renewals and a new proposal from Hillar Moore and the DA’s office.

Let’s take a look:

quote:
Consolidated School District No. 1 Proposition No. 1 of 5 (Tax Renewal) Shall Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a special tax of .72 mills on all property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $3,887,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, for the purpose of supporting the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Program of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, commonly referred to as the “I CARE” Program?

Yea, because this shite is working out so well. Somebody is pocketing that money.

quote:
Consolidated School District No. 2 Proposition No. 2 of 5 (Tax Renewal) Shall Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a special tax of 1.04 mills on all property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $5,600,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, for the purpose of operating and maintaining the public school system?

EBR School Board just voted to close & consolidate several schools that will surely save money.

quote:
Consolidated School District No. 3 Proposition No. 3 of 5 (Tax Renewal) Shall Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a special tax of 5.99 mills on all property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $32,300,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, for the purpose of paying and improving salaries and other benefits of public school employees?

Hey I think the world of teachers and many deserve more than what they make for dealing with these kids, but a third of my property tax bill goes to EBR schools & my kid is in private school so this doesn’t benefit me.

quote:
Consolidated School District No. 4 Proposition No. 4 of 5 (Tax Renewal) Shall Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a special tax of 4.98 mills on all the property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $26,880,000 is reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2028 and ending with the year 2037, for the purpose of giving additional support to the public elementary and secondary schools in said District by providing funds for the purpose of replacing reduced state and local receipts and operating and maintaining the public school system in said District?

See above.

quote:
Consolidated School District No. 5 Proposition No. 5 of 5 (Tax Renewal) Shall Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a special tax of 7.14 mills on all the property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $38,500,000 is reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year) for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2029 and ending with the year 2038, for the purpose of giving additional support to the public elementary and secondary schools in said District by providing funds for improving and maintaining salaries and benefits of public school employees in said District?

How many of these millages do we need? FFS

quote:
Parishwide Proposition (District Attorney East Baton Rouge Millage) Shall the 19th Judicial Enforcement District of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the “District”) be authorized to levy and collect a tax of four (4) mills on all the property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $24,400,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year) (the “Tax”), for a period of twenty (20) years, beginning with the year 2025 and ending with the year 2044, in accordance with Louisiana law, with the proceeds of the Tax (after paying reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of collecting and administering the Tax) to be dedicated and used for the purpose of providing funding for the office of the District Attorney for East Baton Rouge Parish?

This one is interesting because I genuinely believe more funding is needed by the DA’s office, however not at my expense. Maybe cut fat arse Tasha Clark Amar’s salary or see if the mosquito board has some funds to give up.

It takes all but a few minutes to stop in and vote. It’s a small price to pay to have a say in where your tax dollars go. They expect us to not show up and get these taxes easily passed. Let’s show them otherwise.

TL,DR
There are 5 property tax renewals for the shitty EBR Parish School system & 1 new property tax proposal for the DA’s office to keep up with cases and paying attorneys. I’m sick of my property tax increasing so go vote.