Officials put brakes on post-holiday vote

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 20, 2009 - Page: 10A

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State officials on Thursday nixed a push to hold a property tax election the day after Christmas for a St. Tammany Parish fire district.

Members of the state Bond Commission weren’t swayed by a parish official’s offer to severely punish the fire chief for forgetting to schedule the election earlier. The oversight prompted the plea for an emergency election.

“We could take the chief out and tar and feather him if we’ll all feel better,” St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis said.

State officials said they were not convinced the situation constituted an emergency.

At issue was the renewal of a property tax that generates 63 percent — or about $434,000 — of the operating budget for the Fire Protection District No. 5 in St. Tammany Parish. The district serves about 7,000 people in the Folsom area.

The state Bond Commission must approve tax elections.

State Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro and a Bond Commission member, noted that most people seek approval far in advance.

Fire Chief David Pittman said the renewal slipped everyone’s notice.

“It just happened, and it’s unfortunate that it did,” he said.

Pittman said the next time an election can be held is in 2010.

Donald Hames, chairman of the fire district, said a delay in the election would result in a year-long lag in being able to collect the property tax.

The Bond Commission’s executive director, Whit Kling, said there were two alternatives:

• The parish could provide the funds.
• The state could help the fire district.