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(Editor’s note 6/24/2021: This story has been updated since its original publication to provide more context on why this matter does not require voter approval.)

LAPLACE — The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board passed a resolution that will create extra revenue for local schools by raising millage rates.

Property taxes will increase based on the taxpayer’s assessed property value, according to School Board President Nia Mitchell-Williams. The estimated amount of taxes to be collected in the next year from the increased millage is $31,742,812.35, and the amount of increase in taxes attributable to the millage increase is $9,684,171.99.

This increase does not need to go to the ballot for voter approval. This is because the millage rate increase was not in excess of the prior year’s adjusted maximum rate, which has previously been set by voters. St. John District Attorney Bridget A. Dinvaut told L’OBSERVATEUR that the Louisiana State Legislative Auditor’s Office is the agency that supervises and approved this process.

A 30-minute public hearing was advertised in advance and held inside the LaPlace Elementary School cafeteria on June 17.

Mitchell-Williams said the increase in taxes was necessary due to the district’s budget deficit.

“The district has increased and/or sustained programming; however, the student population has steadily decreased over the past several years. The budget reductions that will occur and increase in millage revenues are needed to make the district fiscally sound,” Mitchell-Williams said. “The increase helps ensure that we can provide students with the necessary resources in order to enhance their academic and social needs.”

The resolution to roll forward/increase millage rates initially failed when the School Board voted seven in favor, one against during the June 17 meeting. Since School Board members Gerald Keller, Keith Jones and Charo Holden were absent at the time the vote was taken, the School Board’s 7-1 vote did not achieve the 2/3 majority of the 11-member board.

Orenthal Jasmin of the District Attorney’s Office advised the School Board that Robert’s Rules of Order gives Board members the option to reconsider. However, Robert’s Rules stipulate that only a member that voted on the prevailing side (in this case, voting ‘no’ when the motion failed) could make a motion to reconsider. Board member Ali Burl III, who initially voted against the resolution, made a motion to reconsider. The resolution to roll forward/increase millage rates passed with a 2/3 majority after the eight School Board members in attendance voted in favor.

The St. John School Board also passed a separate resolution that involved the standard levy of the existing property tax rates as of last year. Mitchell-Williams said this resolution, identified as Resolution No. 1 on the June 17 agenda, did not increase property tax rates.

Resolution No. 2, discussed in this story, increased taxes with the roll forward of the tax rates to the prior year’s adjusted maximum rate.