A lone legislative race and a smattering of local tax referendums around the state were put before Louisiana voters Saturday, when a sparse ballot had to compete with the usual spring schedule of festivals and events throughout the Bayou State
In East Baton Rouge Parish, a special election was held to fill the vacancy in Louisiana House District 67. The position became open when Larry Selders won a February election for the state Senate seat vacated when Cleo Fields won the 6th Congressional District race last year.
Terry Landry Jr. prevailed in a field of three Democrats to represent the district that encompasses the LSU campus and neighborhoods to its south. Landry is an attorney who works with the Southern Poverty Law Center and was previously with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services and the state health department.
Another notable item on Saturday’s ballot was the Lake Charles mayoral race, with Republican incumbent Nic Hunter losing to independent challenger Marshall Simien Jr.
Other highlights from Saturday’s results included a rejected property tax referendum for the East Baton Rouge Parish district attorney’s office. DA Hillar Moore had said the new millage was needed to bring his agency up to par in staffing and compensation with comparably large prosecutorial districts in Orleans and Jefferson parishes.
The 4-mill levy was projected to raise $24 million annually, with Moore projecting there would be enough revenue generated for his office to return millions to the parish government general fund. With the new tax failing, resources for the district attorney will continue to come from parish government.
In New Orleans, voters narrowly approved a property tax for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, which has the primary task of operating the city jail. The final vote tally saw the measure prevail by a margin of two votes out of more than 25,000 ballots cast. The results still have to be verified by the Secretary of State.
Although the sheriff’s tax has already been in place for years, opponents leaned into a “no new taxes” message in their campaign against the 2.46-mill, 10-year collection. The tax is expected to generate nearly $14 million in revenue for the sheriff’s office.
St. Tammany Parish voters approved a bond sale for its public school system with a ceiling of $325 million. The debt is not expected to result in an increase to existing property millages dedicated to the school district.
A property tax in Livingston Parish public schools was renewed for another 10 years. The 7 mills will generate nearly $5 million a year for the district.
Rapides Parish voters also renewed two property taxes for their public school system, totaling 9.58 mills combined, for the next 10 years. They’re forecast to generate more than $10 million annually.