PLAQUEMINES PARISH, La. — Voters in Plaquemines parish will be asked to implement three new proposed millages. The addition of these millages will designate funding sources for the parish's Emergency Management Services, recreation, and levee departments.
All three millages are vital to the operation of the parish departments and the services provided to residents. Millage is a means of assessing a property tax. In math terms, one mil is one-thousandth of a dollar, or one-tenth of one cent. Currently, the parish has no millages set as a designated funding source for the three departments.
"We want people to understand what programs we have and what we could be jeopardizing if something doesn't get done," says parish President Kirk Lepine.
On the ballot for November is a five-mil proposal for levee and drainage protection, a three-mil proposal for emergency response, and a two-mil proposal for recreation. Lepine says if any or all these ballot items don't get full support, the department will have no choice but to cease.
"What we want the public to understand is this money can't be moved to other projects, it can't be moved to other departments. It will stay in those funds. We're the fourth lower millage in the state so we are not a very expensive parish or a parish that has a lot of taxes and we're not here as a government to advocate that," he said.
The five-mil property tax will fund 100% of the operation design to maintain and equip the parish's flood control department, which includes levees, drainage and pumping stations. Lepine says the levee millage will allow the parish to maintain federal funding match sources for projects, ditch digging, pump station maintenance and heavy equipment upkeep.
"Our pumping stations and very vital to our way of life. If you look at it, the average pumping station in Plaquemines parish is 34 years old. We have one in the Belle Chase area, pump station one, that pumps a good deal of our residents is 66 years old," he said. "Some of these things are breaking down. Some of these things are passed on to us and haven't been maintained very well, but it's time that we take a dedicated look and say, 'what do we want? What kind of services do we want?'"
Due to lack of funding, the parish has had to cut some services within their EMS department, including getting rid of two firetrucks. Lepine says the parish will have a better EMS program if the three-mil proposal is approved. His hope is to replace the trucks lost and add a sprint truck.
"We spend $90,000 alone on just fixing ambulances. We do have some old ambulances. We've got two about two years ago and we've rotated some, but it is a constant problem that we have that continues, that maintenance," he said.
The two-mil proposal for recreation will fund 100% of operations designed to maintain and operate the parish's parks and recreation facilities. There are over 40 parish-wide recreation facilities. Lepine says support of the millage will help upgrade athletic fields, parks, lighting, restrooms, as well as better equipment for kids. He says without the millage, the recreation department will cease to exist.
"Our main focus is to get infrastructure back up to good quality and improvements that our kids can enjoy. Yes, we do have a plan in fact to get our parks up to a better standard, and that's parish wide. We don't want to single out any one park," Lepine said. "So, our plan, again, is to have a great place for our kids to have a good recreation program."
For any questions regarding the millage proposals, residents are encouraged to reach out to Lepine's office.
Meantime, election day is Saturday, November 13. Early voting is set for Saturday, October 30 through November 6.
Below is the full text for each of the three millages that voters will decide:
Recreation:
Shall the Parish of Plaquemines, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), be authorized to levy a tax of two (2) mills on all the property subject to taxation in the Parish (the estimated amount reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the tax for one entire year being $1,970,000) for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2022 and ending with the year 2031, for the purpose of improving, repairing, maintaining and operating parks, playgrounds, recreation centers and other recreational facilities and providing recreational programs in the Parish, together with the necessary furnishings, fixtures and equipment for the foregoing?
Levees:
Shall the Parish of Plaquemines, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), be authorized to levy a tax of five (5) mills on all the property subject to taxation in the Parish (the estimated amount reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the tax for one entire year being $4,925,000) for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2022 and ending with the year 2031, for the purpose of repairing, maintaining and operating levees, flood protection, flood control, hurricane protection, tidal and storm protection, storm damage reduction, and drainage works in the Parish?
Emergency Medical Services:
Shall the Parish of Plaquemines, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), be authorized to levy a tax of three (3) mills on all property subject to taxation within the Parish (the estimated amount reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the tax for one entire year being $2,955,000) for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2022 and ending with the year 2031, for the purpose of providing emergency medical services directly or by contract or both in the Parish including acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and operating emergency medical service facilities and equipment?
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