Special to
L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE — St. Charles Parish residents will decide the funding future of local levee construction and wastewater facilities after the Parish Council voted unanimously this week in favor of placing two property tax millage proposals on the May 2 ballot.

The proposals, approved Monday, when considered together, represent $36 annually of new taxes to the average homeowner.

The flood protection proposal calls for a 4-mill property tax beginning in 2015 and ending in 2044 for the purpose of paying costs associated with constructing, acquiring, maintaining, operating, extending and/or improving levees and hurricane and outer flood protection facilities within St. Charles Parish.

The parish would be able to sell bonds based on the revenue generated by the millage to eventually raise $87 million in available funds by 2026. Local leaders could also leverage those funds to secure state grants and other costs shares to speed up construction projects for a projected fund balance of $157 million.

“As our residents know, we have levees under construction right now, and we anticipate needing millions of dollars to complete operations and maintenance tasks as partners with our local levee districts — the Pontchartrain Levee District and the Lafourche Basin Levee District,” Parish President V.J. St. Pierre said. “New revenue would set the parish — and the Public Works Department — on a sustainable path as we look toward providing functional flood protection for every resident.”

Funds generated by the millage and associated bonds would be used to support all levee projects in St. Charles Parish, including two remaining pump stations on the East Bank hurricane protection levee, West Bank hurricane protection levee construction from Luling through Des Allemands and cost shares related to the federal West Bank and Vicinity levee (Ama) and eventual West Shore levee (Montz).

The wastewater proposal calls for a 2.2-mill property tax renewal to acquire, construct improve, maintain and operate wastewater (sewer) facilities in the parish.

The renewal represents no new taxes for parish residents. The St. Charles Parish Wastewater Department has historically been supported through user fees alone, with transfers from the general fund.

This revenue stream is not sufficient to cover needed future projects, such as line repairs, plant and oxidation pond construction, lift station improvements and more.

A total of $41.1 million worth of projects over a 10-year period are needed to keep up with current usage and prepare for future parish growth.

The tax could generate up to $47 million through 2022 with the sale of available bonds.

With a planned reduction of the road lighting millage later this year by 0.4 mills, the both proposals would equal 5.8 mills, a lower rate than what was requested in 1999 for sewer bonds alone.

Early voting is set for 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 18-25 at the Registrar of Voters Office within the Courthouse, 15045 River Road in Hahnville, and the Arterbury Building, 14564 River Road in New Sarpy.