As the Metro Council prepares to take up a proposal today to allocate $1.3 million for a new headquarters for the embattled East Baton Rouge Council on Aging, Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister says the public should have a greater say in spending on senior services—adding voters should get to recast ballots on the dedicated property tax narrowly approved last fall for the COA.
“I like Councilman Dwight Hudson’s idea of letting voters decide who gets the $8 million to serve our seniors,” McCollister writes in his latest column, referring to a proposal by Hudson to give voters the opportunity this fall to rededicate the 2.25 mill property tax approved for the COA.
McCollister laments the failure of a “valiant effort” at the Legislature by Reps. Steve Carter, Paula Davis and Franklin Foil to hit “reset” and name a new board to oversee the COA. The measure was defeated in committee.
“The opposition was led by Reps. C. Denise Marcelle and Pat Smith,” McCollister writes, noting Marcelle is a COA board member and did not recuse herself from the 8-7 vote, which he says is a conflict of interest.
“I applaud the efforts of Carter, Davis and Foil for trying to protect the seniors and the taxpayers. There were good reasons to pass this bill given the multiple critical legislative audits, lawsuits, letters from the Ethics Board, campaign violations—and now learning of untrue testimony and travel expenditures. This is ridiculous. What else will we learn?” McCollister writes, adding it’s now up to the Metro Council to deal with the mess.
In light of the recent controversies the COA has found itself embroiled in, McCollister says voters would likely think twice about approving a dedicated funding stream for the agency again.
“This organization seems to be a lemon, and its actions have left a sour taste in the mouths of many citizens,” McCollister writes. “If we have to pay, let us have a say. Let’s see if people still trust the COA.”
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