Council to decide form, date of capital improvements vote

• By JEREMY HARPER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jul 17, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The Metro Council could decide next week if, when and in what form it will send Mayor-President Kip Holden’s $989 million capital improvement plan to voters in the fall.

Holden, who earlier this week unveiled the multifaceted plan, made his first pitch for the proposal to the full Metro Council during a special informational meeting Wednesday.

The Metro Council’s Finance and Executive Committee later sent the proposal to the full council without a recommendation, meaning the council could cast a final vote on the matter at Wednesday’s meeting.

“We have developed a plan that offers something for every family in East Baton Rouge Parish: a better quality of life, education, entertainment and quality jobs,” Holden said.

He wants the council to call a Nov. 4 election asking voters to authorize an additional half-cent sales tax and a 9.9-mill property tax for 30 years to finance the bond issue.

But Holden and some council members disagree on whether the matter should be on the October or November ballot and whether the proposal should be divided into more than one proposition.

Councilman Pat Culbertson suggested dividing the plan into three or four ballot items to give voters the opportunity to approve only those projects they feel are necessary.

But Walter Monsour, the mayor’s chief administrative officer, said it would be difficult to divide the plan because both the property tax and the half-cent sales tax would have to be split three ways.

Councilman Wayne Carter, who is challenging Holden in the mayoral election in the fall, acknowledged the city-parish needs some of the improvements but said he doesn’t support raising taxes.

“I’m all for new stuff, but I’m also for whatever you can afford,” Carter said.

Despite his criticism, Carter said he supports sending the plan to voters, but only on the Oct. 4 ballot because it is a local election.

Monsour said the Nov. 4 presidential election would draw more voters than the Oct. 4 election. The November date also would give the city-parish another month to explain the plan to voters, he said.

The city-parish hasn’t had a major capital improvements bond in nearly 50 years, Monsour said, and is due for a major overhaul in many areas of its operation.