Two existing Lafayette Parish property taxes that voters rejected in March will be back on the ballot Nov. 15.
The taxes were on the March 29 ballot with four statewide constitutional amendments that were soundly rejected by voters.
Lafayette officials, who did little to publicize the two local tax renewals, believe being on the same ballot with the constitutional amendments led to the defeat of the local renewals, as voters may have voted no on everything on that ballot.
This time, Mayor-President Monique Boulet has said, Lafayette Consolidated Government officials will do more to inform voters of the election and the need to renew the property taxes.
The first is a 4.47-mill property tax for construction, improvement and maintenance of roads and bridges in the parish. It is expected to generate about $12.7 million a year.
The tax was authorized at 4.17 mills. Because of reappraisals, it currently is levied at 4.47 mills, which is allowed by law. If not renewed, the tax will expire at the end of 2026.
The second tax on the ballot is a renewal and rededication of a public health millage. Boulet and the Parish Council are asking voters to add drainage as a use for the existing tax.
Boulet said Tuesday it would allow surpluses from those tax revenues to be used for drainage.
The 3.81-mill property tax which generates about $10.8 million a year, expires at the end of 2025. Like the roads and bridges tax, this one is being levied .25 mills higher than the 3.56 mills in the voter authorization because of reappraisals.
The tax is used for constructing, improving, maintaining, operating and supporting public facilities and programs in the parish based on this allocation:
- 1.24 mills for drainage
- .422 mills for fire protection
- .078 mills for roads and bridges
- 2.07 mills for public health units, mosquito and other arthropod abatement and control, drainage and the coroner's office