Mayor Kip Holden says he can’t support a bond proposal recently presented by District Attorney Hillar Moore III because it is for additional operational funds and not capital improvements. Moore sent a letter to Holden and the Metro Council on July 15 requesting his bond proposal be considered for the ballot this fall in tandem with the mayor’s $748 million proposal. Moore wants a 10-year, 3.5-mill property tax, which would add $10 million annually to his current $11.6 million operating budget — of which the city-parish provides $4.7 million.
“I have a little heartburn when I look at what is asked for, when you are trying to go from a $4 million contribution from the city-parish—and you’ve been running on that amount for a lot of years — to now going to an additional $11 million to run your office,” says Holden, addressing the Baton Rouge Press Club this afternoon. Though Moore is seeking the council’s support to place his bond proposal on the Nov. 19 ballot, he does not need their OK to do so. Moore has said he will consider using his authority to put the bond to voters should the council reject it.
Holden says he would love to have more operation funds to provide to Moore’s office, but notes many departments including police and fire are underfunded and have had to trim expenses to meet budget. He suggests Moore do the same, adding he will not allow the bond issue to create conflict in an otherwise harmonious relationship with the D.A.
“We will not have a falling apart between the D.A. and myself, because I call his dad my dad, and therefore we will continue to work together to try to make things happen,” Holden says. See a copy of Moore’s bond proposal as sent to Holden and the Metro Council here. —Steve Sanoski
