By CALEB FREY

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – Less than two weeks remain before the voters of St. John the Baptist parish decide on April 29, whether or not to renew a 4.57 mill property tax.

Renewal would generate nearly $900,000 for maintenance of the parish’s school system.

&#8220I think it’s got a good chance of passing,” said St. John School Board Superintendent Michael Coburn. &#8220Everything looks good for it so far, we’re just trying to continue to get the word out to everybody to go vote.”

If approved, the mill tax would account for nearly 20 percent of the annual maintenance budget, which is currently about $4.5 million, according to Coburn.

The mill tax has already gained the approval of the River Region Chamber of Commerce and most recently was given the nod of the St. John Business Association.

The tax has been in effect for the past 30 years but was most recently voted down for a 10-year renewal last July.

If the tax is voted down, the School Board would have to replace the $900,000 it annually brings in with money from the System’s General Fund, something Coburn would like to avoid.

&#8220I’ve told faculty and staff at every school to get out there with their brothers, sisters, moms, dads, aunts and uncles, and vote for the tax,” Coburn said. &#8220This is something that affects everybody in St. John.”

Coburn noted that every penny of the mill tax would be used for maintenance in a school system that is currently still educating almost 700 students brought to St. John, due to Hurricane Katrina.

&#8220We still have about 650 kids that will stay through May,” Coburn said. &#8220We expect about 300-400 of those students to return next school year. More kids means things get dirtier faster, and the faster we need to clean them up. That costs more money.”