“Fortune favors the bold” — an unfortunate lesson St. John the Baptist Parish School Board members and administrators missed in the build up to last week’s tax election.

It’s a lesson that could cost the school system millions of dollars in revenue and the jobs of more than a few employees — all because sales tax approval proponents fell 130 votes short of a majority. That’s a margin that’s going to haunt a few people. It’s never an easy sell to convince a working class community like St. John the Baptist Parish to willingly accept new taxes. I’m glad it’s hard. It shouldn’t be easy.

However, there was a case to be made this time. Unfortunately, even if you were listening closely, you didn’t hear it.

The need for a tax increase has to be explained, advocated and sold to the public.

That didn’t happen this time.

When I spoke in depth with Superintendent Kevin George and Executive Director of Finance Felix Boughton about the tax issue, both were emphatic and detailed in why there was a need for the tax, where the money would go and what shortfalls would exist if the vote failed.

Our conversations might have been the most advocating School District leaders did on behalf of this cause with a member of the public.

River Region Chamber of Commerce Policy Chair Henry Friloux said the Chamber learned of the election by reading L’OBSERVATEUR. With less than three weeks to go until the election, he said the Chamber had not spoken to any School Board or School District representative.

In late March, St. John Parish Business Association President Steven Fraker said the tax proposal concerned several Association members because of its impact on mom-and-pop businesses.

He said Association members were grappling with their understanding of the School District’s need because few, if any, had heard from a School Board member or School District representative.

In fact, I spent the better part of two weeks contacting and leaving messages for six School Board members to get their views on the tax vote.

Three School Board members ignored repeated phone calls and emails seeking comment — their silence indicative of a missed opportunity.

When I expressed some frustration to a School District administrator, he said they were afraid to say something wrong.

You can’t be afraid to speak on policy when you’re an elected leader. You can’t be shy when the media calls for comment because salaried employees are counting on you to deliver the revenue stream that maintains their jobs.

The truly frustrating part was there was a message to share outside School Board chambers and mandatory employee meetings.

No other school system in Louisiana is doing more with less than St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools.

The District’s rating, announced late in 2015, signaled the first time St. John earned the B distinction, scoring an 85.2 as its 2015 District Performance Score. It is an improvement over the previous year’s score of 83.1, a C.

The Louisiana Department of Education lists 81.93 percent of students in St. John Parish Public Schools as “economically disadvantaged.” No other listed school district with at least 80 percent of the student body categorized as economically disadvantaged performed better, and only one (Jefferson Parish) matched St. John with a B rating.

“We are putting out a great product,” George told me when we talked in March. “We are not an inept school system asking for more money and saying open up your wallets to us. The numbers speak for themselves when you talk about student achievement.”

If each School Board member could have just convinced 12 additional voters, apiece, to support the measure, the tax would have passed. That would have been bold.

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.