The decision by Lower St. Martin Parish voters to discontinue a 10-year, 6.46-mill property tax for road maintenance is not expected to have immediate or far-reaching effects on roadway conditions there, says Parish President Chester Cedars.
The Sub-road Dist. One tax renewal failed to garner majority support in the Oct. 12 election, with 0nly 46 percent (197) of the 430 votes cast in favor.
Asked about any repercussions that might result from the defeat of the renewal, Cedars said it should not be terribly significant. For one thing, he explained, the tax was providing about $121,000 annually, so its failure is not a deal-breaker for Lower SMP road maintenance.
“Also,” Cedars added, “We did not promote the renewal as much as we probably should have.” The parish will provide more information about the importance of the tax in the weeks before the measure is put before the voters again in May.
He added that financing for the repair of damage to several roads caused by weeks of flooding this past May of this year is already in place.
“Hopefully the voters there will reconsider,” he said. “This is not something we like, but if we have to absorb the loss we can do that.”
