By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office is disappointed after a loss in the July 16 election to increase sales tax by one-fourth cent to increase deputy salaries.

The community voted 57 percent no on the increase of sales tax in St. John Parish, which would have brought in $1.4 million in revenue for the Sheriff’s Office to distribute a $150 a month pay raise for law enforcement officers and giving District Attorney John Crum Jr. his own budget.

“I would like to thank all the citizens who did come out and support us,” said Sheriff Wayne L. Jones of St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. “We are disappointed, but we will continue our operations as usual.” Jones said he plans to come to the voters again in about a year with better planning, in hopes to get raises for his deputies.

“Maybe we could have done things a little better, ” Jones said. “I want to sit down and reassess the situation and come back again strictly for deputy salary increase.”

Jones said he plans to spend the next year reviewing everything done for this election, so that next time will be more successful.