By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. James Parish will hold an election on April 5 addressing three parish propositions. Voters will decide whether to renew two existing millages and establish one new property tax.

The new parishwide 1.25 mills property tax proposed would collect an estimated $611,000 annually for the St. James Parish Nutrition Kitchen. The tax is being proposed for 10 years, and the kitchen would support the Department of Human Resources service programs and activities, including but not limited to programs for the elderly, meals on wheels, Head Start, summer youth literacy programs and St. James Parish ARC activities. Currently, various vendors supply food for the agencies.

The two tax renewals include a parish-wide 3.92 mills for 10 years for the operation

and maintenance of the parish’s Human Resources Department and a 1 mill tax for street lighting that would be levied throughout the parish, with the exception of Lutcher and Gramercy.