re: Among those you know, is the City of St. George issue partisan?

Here's a question.

If St. George claims that 2/3 of the tax base resides within St. George. And if others say that this is not true, and that St. George does not contribute that much in taxes.

Then why is Baton Rouge expected to crumble if the taxes from St. George are no longer there?

If the push to keep St. George from incorporating, is to save Baton Rouge from economic decline, wouldn't that infer that St. George contributes a very large tax percentage to the area?

Also, if St. George does not produce a substantial sum of taxes towards BR city gov, then how could a "break away" hurt BR?

If St. George does not produce a large sum of taxes to the BR city gov then, if a break away happens, the city should still be able to sustain itself in present form correct? If not, then you are admitting that St. George puts in, more than they benefit from, in terms of the city government taxes.

quote:

---

claims that 2/3 of the tax base resides within St. George. And if others say that this is not true

---

quote:

---

Then why is Baton Rouge expected to crumble if the taxes from St. George are no longer there?

---

Stop being so melodramatic. Baton Rouge will NOT crumble.

And anyone who thinks the SG area is responsible for 2/3 of the total tax revenues of EBR and the city of BR is a complete idiot. Dr. Richardson estimates in his report that BR will lose $53 million in taxes. The budget for EBR is almost $800 million. The SG organizers say the loss to BR will be $14 million.

The loss of taxes will be hurt BR mainly from the loss of sales taxes from the retail outlets at the Mall of La and surrounding stores.

But that loss won't happen. Those areas will either be incorporated into BR or the tax proposal linked in one of these SG threads will be passed, either of which means SG will not see the sales taxes from the Mall of La.

quote:

---

Also, if St. George does not produce a substantial sum of taxes towards BR city gov, then how could a "break away" hurt BR?

---

St. George is NOT trying to break away. They want to incorporate. They want to remain in EBR Parish.

quote:

---

There's multiple things going on here. Part of it is because the city-parish general fund pays for parish-wide infrastructure and that the proposed new city will keep the infrastructure but would like to not have to pay for (some of) the bond debt which is funded mostly through sales taxes

---

I agree, it is a complex situation and it is designed that way.

It's almost like a street corner shell game where people try to identify under which cup the marble is located.

I believe it's by design, and to maintain the status quo for the city who sucks money out of the parish taxpayers at every turn.

Look at the sewer user fee that everyone pays, but few no what for and whether or not it is being well managed.

We start off in one direction with a sewer plan, another mayor gets elected, and an alternate plan is enacted supposedly to save us money.

Have you seen any of the savings yet?

All I see is rising sewer bills and sewer work all over town. I see a sewer plant closing, I see one being expanded. I never hear why just that the EPA made us do it.

quote:

---

Many do not know where the boundaries are.

---

Bingo.

The boundaries of the city are arse-backwards if you're looking at where all the development has been in the past 30+ years.


Essen, Bluebonnet, Siegen, Jones Creek, etc., are either partially or completely outside BR.

If you look at a map, there's a giant hole in the southeastern part of the parish, from roughly Essen at Perkins to Sherwood Forest, where they could easily have incorporated but chose not to do so, as it would have filled a gap between two different parts of the city which had been incorporated since about 1973 and 1983, respectively.

quote:

---

THey want the benefits of living near a city without having to pay for them.

---

They City wants the benefit of their money but not their input. Works both ways.

How about this. They keep their money and the city keeps theirs. Talk about fair!!

Does St George plan to fully account for legacy costs as well as their portion of all bond debts for infrastructure provided to the area? Will they promise no new taxes for city services (schools don't count)?

Will Lionel Rainey and Bodi White agree to sign a legal document saying that neither they or their immediate family will win a contract with, be employed by, or sell land to the new city or any of its contractors? If the answer is no..

quote:

---

CATS runs outside of the city and into the parishes.



BS - Cats does not leave EBR.

---

Read my post.

It runs outside of the city of Baton Rouge - FACT

It may not run outside of EBR and maybe I should of stated that better, however it runs outside the city of Baton Rouge into areas that were not allowed to vote on the tax increase.

FACT

quote:

---

Does St George plan to fully account for legacy costs as well as their portion of all bond debts for infrastructure provided to the area? Will they promise no new taxes for city services (schools don't count)?

---

I don't know or care.

I am sure the people in the proposed area wouldn't mind paying more if they actually got something back for their money or a better return on it.

quote:

---

Will Lionel Rainey and Bodi White agree to sign a legal document saying that neither they or their immediate family will win a contract with, be employed by, or sell land to the new city or any of its contractors? If the answer is no..

---

What does this have to do with anything?

Yeah, I am sure people will profit, politics are in most regards dirty. The people will decide in a vote. Period.

If a family thinks it will improve their situation they will vote for it and not give two shits if someone elses families benefits from a contract. You wanna know why? Because right now they aren't being heard anyway!!!

quote:

---

Correct. People in St George do NOT pay for CATS even though it serves their area. OMG, BR city subsidizes St George!

---

CATS is a regional transit system. It gets parish funds and not just city funds.

Read their budget.