Tonight, the Scott City Council will discuss placing a new sales tax on the March ballot.
Last year, the legislature approved a bill that would allow the city to create the tax to fund city services. If passed, two-thirds of the money would go to fire and police while the other third would fund parks and recreation, economic development and infrastructure.
Mayor Jan-Scott Richard said, “This tax would benefit our community and only our community.”
Richard is hopeful this spring the residents of Scott will approve a one-cent sales tax. He says the tax has been in the works for more than a year.
“If it doesn’t pass, we’re just going to have to figure out how to budget and how to make sure we’re maintaining the vital services we provide,” Richard said.
He believes the tax would create room for Scott to continue growing. Richard says the fire department needs a ladder truck, and he would like to expand the emergency services building.
“It will also allow us to increase our personnel to accompany the growth we are seeing. On the infrastructure side, it will allow us to continue to do drainage work, road improvements, improve our parks and rec,” said Richard.
He acknowledges there is an anti-tax sentiment throughout Acadiana and that this tax will be a tough sell.
“Our focus as a council and administration is to educate the public on what the benefits of the tax would be if it does pass,” Richard said.
We did reach out to Scott Police Chief Chad Leger who said he’s working with the mayor’s office on presentations for the public.
