Metro Councilmen John Delgado and Ryan Heck, who on Wednesday evening were among the eight members who ultimately voted down sending Mayor Kip Holden’s $335 million bond issue proposal to voters in May, already are looking for ways to bring at least one project in Holden’s package to fruition without raising taxes.
The councilmen say they agree with the Holden administration on the need for a city-parish mental health center that could provide around-the-clock services for the mentally ill, who often are sent to an already overly packed parish prison when they have run-ins with law enforcement. But Delgado and Heck maintain Holden’s administration did not do enough financial analysis before bringing the proposal to the council.
“Last night’s proposal was lazy. They did it the lazy way, to go ask for more money,” Heck says. “We believe it can be done in a revenue-neutral manner.”
The councilmen now want the Finance Department to bring them a report outlining tax-neutral options for building the mental health facility. They submitted this morning a request to have the item added to the Jan. 28 regular council meeting agenda. If their fellow council members approve the item later this month, Delgado says he hopes the Finance Department would be able to deliver the report by the council’s Feb. 11 meeting.
