The East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging could lose its annual $877,000 appropriation from the city-parish when the Metro Council meets this afternoon to approve the 2017 budget.
In light of a dedicated property tax voters approved Nov. 8 that will generate nearly $8 million a year for the agency, Councilman Buddy Amoroso says he will ask his fellow council members to redirect the general fund monies that were slated to go to the Council on Aging and give half to blight enforcement and the other half to a youth employment program.
“It will take eight votes so I don’t know how successful I’ll be, but I’m going to try anyway,” Amoroso says.
The Council on Aging has come under fire in recent weeks, as allegations have surfaced that the agency engaged in campaign practices prior to the November election may have violated campaign finance law and its nonprofit status. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor is investigating the allegations.
During budget hearings last week, Amoroso and councilman Scott Wilson grilled Council on Aging Executive Director Tasha Clark-Amar about why council employees contributed to a political action committee promoting the tax and about how the agency asked political candidates for donations in return for being featured on the PAC’s sample ballot.
“They never gave us a straight answer,” says Amoroso. “They just kept talking in circles.”
Amoroso’s motion is likely to be controversial, as the Council on Aging won’t realize the $7.9 million the new millage will generate until the beginning of 2018 and will, thus, make a case for needing the $877,000.
Also, the Council on Aging has close ties to the Metro Council: Councilwoman Donna Collins-Lewis is vice chairman of the organization’s board of directors.
As a practical matter, however, the Council on Aging could borrow against the anticipated revenue from the dedicated property tax to make up the difference, Amoroso says. Besides, most of the agency’s funds—some $2 million—come from the state anyway.
The special meeting of the Metro Council was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 222 St. Louis St.
—Stephanie Riegel
