East Baton Rouge Parish Library Director Spencer Watts began making the case this week for a 11.1-mill property tax renewal that will be on the fall ballot—and he said it’s going to be an all-or-nothing proposition during an address to the Press Club of Baton Rouge.
“If it fails, it fails; you can’t go back,” said Watts. “You can’t go back. You have to go through the whole process again, and it would be a mess.”
Library board officials have characterized the 10-year dedicated tax as a renewal because voters approved an 11.1-mill rate in 1995 and again in 2005. However, in recent years, the millage was lowered to 10.78 mills to reflect higher property values on the tax rolls.
Meanwhile, at a forum for lieutenant governor’s candidates hosted by Leaders With Vision this week, Baton Rouge Democratic Mayor Kip Holden and Republican state Sen. Elbert Guillory of Opelousas traded heated barbs over Guillory’s use of the N-word in a recent campaign ad, a tactic Holden said “appalled” him.
“Only an idiot who had not seen my commercial would have made the comments that you made,” Guillory said to Holden. Holden shot back by saying he “would rather be an idiot than a n—–,” and added, “but I am the best idiot that you will ever find when it comes down to promoting a city and parish like Baton Rouge, and we are virtually second to none because of that idiot.”
The sensational nature of the back and forth between Holden and Guillory—the only black candidates in the race that also includes Jefferson Parish President John Young and former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser, both Republicans—stole the show at a forum that was light on policy discussion.
Looking ahead to next week, the Metro Council is set to introduce a pair of ordinances that would clear the way for brewpubs and microdistilleries, and expand wine, beer and liquor tastings at area retail outlets.
Here’s a rundown of some of the other top local stories making headlines in Daily Report this week:
- The Capital Area Transit System is once again looking for a location for a new downtown hub. A previously chosen site—the intersection of Third and Lafayette streets in front of the Capitol Park Welcome Center—is no longer a viable option for reasons that are not entirely clear. What is certain is that CATS is going back to the drawing board.
- At the half-day “Capital Region Water in 2050: Opportunities and Challenges” conference held in Baton Rouge this week, Kai Midboe, director of policy research and general counsel at the Water Institute of the Gulf, said the state has to develop a “water code”—a set of laws that will regulate the use of fresh water and groundwater. But before that can happen, he said, it first must develop a “water budget” to establish how much water is available in the state, where it comes from, and what its potential value is.
- The Louisiana Sheriff’s Association on Wednesday made endorsements in five statewide races, but it failed to reach a consensus on a single candidate to endorse in the races for Louisiana’s next governor and insurance commissioner.
- The developers of The Elysian, a mixed-income apartment complex at the intersection of North 13th Street and Spanish Town Road, are planning a second phase of the successful development. The Elysian II will be adjacent to the original 110,300-square-foot complex and, like the first phase, will be 100 units.
- The owners of the Natchez, Mississippi-based Roux 61 Seafood and Grill restaurant intend to open their Baton Rouge location at 8322 Bluebonnet Blvd. by the end of October, assuming no major hurdles in renovations arise between now and then.
- The Blue Rose Café, which had operated from a space within The Courtyard Gifts and Interiors for about eight months before closing alongside the business in late March, will reopen in a much larger space at 11950 Cloverland Ave. that was formerly home to Willie’s Restaurant.
- Popular restaurant Le Creolé will move from its current location off Highland Road to a yet unannounced spot nearby, while Abbeville-based Shucks! oyster and seafood restaurant will take its place at 18135 E. Petroleum Drive.
- Baton Rouge’s three riverboat casinos collectively saw their winnings fall by 4.3% in August to roughly $23.4 million, down from $24.4 million won from gamblers in August last year.
—Steve Sanoski
