A renewal proposition of four mills to maintain the courthouse and jail will be on the October 14, ballot.
The parish has utilized monies from this millage to maintain the grounds, improve buildings, maintain equipment, pay insurances for the courthouse and other insurance, purchase jail supplies, feed and house inmates, etc.
This parishwide proposition is commonly known as the “Courthouse and Jail Maintenance Tax.” The tax renewal or continuation of the millage will appear on the ballot as follows:
“Parishwide Proposition
Millage Continuation
Shall the parish of Allen, State of Louisiana (the parish) be authorized to continue to levy a special tax of four mills on all the property subject to taxation in the parish (an estimated $516,200 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years beginning with the year 2023 and ending with the year 2032 for the purpose of improving, maintaining and supporting the courthouse and jail of the parish.”
Voters will have to enter Yes or no to the millage.
In its positing of this proposition, the jury wrote it wishes to be transparent as possible to and for its constituents.
“The public should know that this is not a new tax, but a standard tax renewal. This existing property millage is vital to the continued operation of the parish’s courthouse and jail system and 100 percent of the revenue generated by this tax is dedicated to essential parish buildings, housing the judicial system and providing funding for supporting staff and services.
“Note that the funds generated are earmarked specifically for operation and maintenance of the courthouse square, parish jail and judicial system operations. All citizens of the parish should know that the courthouse square is located in our parish seat of Oberlin and houses multiple essential public entities and their supporting services, including the:
•Two district judges’ offices and two parish courtrooms.
•Parish tax assessor’s office.
•Parish clerk of court’s office and public record keeping facilities.
•District attorney’s office and supporting public services.
•Parish’s registrar of voters.
This millage also allows the sheriff to continue to protect the residents of the parish by providing funding and housing for parish criminals and offenders.
“The services funded by tax are essential services, not optional services. These services are a constitutional requirement pushed down on the parish by the state. If this tax does not pass, the police jury would have to subsidize these services from other funding sources, which would mean budget cuts to other non-essential services that could include roads, buildings, bridges, drainage and other maintenance requirements.
“The police jury believes that it is important for the residents to know how their tax dollars are spent. Therefore, the police jury has provided a breakdown of the courthouse and jail fund’s annual budget to show how these funds are managed in a typical year.”
