Voters will decide whether or not to grant the East Baton Rouge Library and the Council on Aging new millages, a kind of property tax, on June 27, after the East Baton Rouge Metro Council voted to push their requests to get on the ballot on Wednesday.
Both organizations asked voters for their millages as a part of Mayor-President Sid Edwards’ failed Thrive EBR tax plan.
The library is asking voters for 9.5 mills — 1 mill is equal to one dollar for every thousand dollars a property is worth — which is less than the 9.89 mills it currently collects.
Katrina Stokes, the director of the library, said the library’s capital improvement plan can continue at this rate. It also allows for the reopening of previously closed positions.
The council chamber was crowded with people wearing “I heart my local library” memorabilia. Supporters shared their personal stories with the library and said that it was the part of the community they were most proud of.
“I have personally been to all of the libraries. Our South Branch is nothing but spectacular,” Rev. Alexis Anderson, who spoke at the meeting, said. “We have brought people from all over the country who walk away blown away about what we are able to do with this library.”
There were critics at the meeting, however. Councilman Dwight Hudson said the library should stick with the 8.3 millage rate it asked for during the Thrive EBR Initiative. If the council reduces how much it asks from voters, he said, future taxes might have a better chance of passing.
“Ultimately, there's a certain appetite that the public is willing to afford when it comes to taxes,” Hudson said. “So we can continually go back to the taxpayer for more and more money. But they're probably going to tell us no if we take that approach.”
The council passed the proposal at the 9.5 rate in a 9 to 3 decision. Councilwoman Laurie Adams did not vote during an electronic vote, but responded “no” during a voice vote.
The Council on Aging will be asking voters for a rate of 2 mills — what it is currently collecting after a rollback. Tasha Clark-Amar said the rate allows the COA to continue its mission.
“We take care of seniors. We allow them to maintain their independence and live in their homes as long as possible,” Clark-Amar said.
The council also had a large showing. Seniors filled most of the rows of the council chamber and the overflow room. The council even brought snacks.
The council didn’t receive the same kind of pushback the library did and passed with no opposition.
In the lead-up to the June 27 election, both the library and COA will run campaigns to inform the public on their position.
If the measure fails, the library will be without funding starting next year. The council will still get its funding next year, as collection lags a year.
