East Baton Rouge Parish voters may get to weigh in later this year on a proposal to add the City of Central to a revenue sharing arrangement that currently only benefits the other three municipalities in the parish: Baton Rouge, Baker and Zachary.
The Metro Council will consider placing the issue on the Nov. 21 ballot at its meeting this evening. At issue is about $1.5 million in revenue that comes from industrial properties. The revenue traditionally has been split among three of the parish’s four municipalities, according to population, with Baton Rouge receiving about 90%, and Zachary and Baker getting about 5% each.
“This wouldn’t be an increase in taxes at all,” stresses Metro Councilman Scott Wilson, who placed the item on this evening’s agenda and represents the Central area. “This is just to add Central to the plan, so they can get some of that revenue—just like every other municipality in the parish is getting.”
Central is the parish’s newest municipality, having only been incorporated in 2005. If the Metro Council votes to place Walker’s resolution on the fall ballot and it is approved by voters in the parish, Central stands to gain about $143,870 for the 2016 budget year, according to city-parish Department of Finance estimates.
With Central added to the plan, Baton Rouge’s share of the revenue would fall to about 80%, while Zachary and Baker would see their cuts reduced less significantly and still get about 5% each. Central would get a nearly 10% share of the funds, as—at roughly 26,850 residents—it is larger than Zachary (14,960) or Baker (13,895).
“I don’t think I’ll see any opposition” to the measure at this evening’s meeting from fellow council members, Wilson says.
Also at this evening’s meeting, the council will consider fixing the next mayor of Baton Rouge’s salary at $157,000, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Mayor Kip Holden is set to earn $152,317 this year. It will also take up a resolution allowing City Court judges to begin imposing a new $5 technology fee in criminal, traffic and civil cases, with the money funding the purchase and maintenance of a new case management system.
The council convenes at 4 p.m. on the third floor of City Hall, 222 St. Louis St. See the full agenda.
—Steve Sanoski
