Editor: Jenkins’ inconsistent logic on rolling millage rates forward

Woody Jenkins, the head of the East Baton Rouge Republican Party, has a logic problem when it comes to his varied stances on the rolling forward of property tax millage rates by local taxing authorities, says Business Report Executive Editor JR Ball in his latest column. “Sometimes he believes this action is a backdoor tax hike without the approval of voters,” Ball writes. “Other times he believes this action is perfectly acceptable.” Jenkins decried a proposal from BREC in late June to roll forward its property tax millage rate to generate an additional $1.5 million next year for the department, Ball notes. “It’s his view—and mine—that rolling tax rates forward to generate higher tax revenue is nothing more than a tax increase that sidesteps a vote of the people,” Ball writes. But less than two weeks after celebrating his victory over BREC, Ball says, Jenkins did a 180: supporting the unilateral decision by Sheriff Sid Gautreaux to roll that department’s millage rate higher. Then, at a July 18 Metro Council committee meeting, Jenkins objected as the topic of EMS and four fire districts requesting permission to roll forward property tax rates was being discussed, saying such tax increases should be put to a vote. “In Woody’s world, BREC, the library system, EMS and fire departments are wrong to roll forward their millage rates without first going to the voters,” Ball writes, “but the sheriff doing the same thing is right and just?” Read the full column here; and send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.