On Oct. 14, the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District is proposing the renewal of an existing property tax.

The 8 mill ad valorem tax has been in place for years and is not a new tax.

The school district uses the tax in three separate ways.

One mill is used to fund insurance for retirees. This money goes into a trust to pay for future retiree insurance.

The school district currently spends more than $3 million a year on insurance for retirees, a number that is expected to grow as health care costs continue to rise. A vote in favor of the renewal would allow the district to continue to plan for future health care costs for retirees.

A vote against the renewal would put in jeopardy whether the district would be able to continue this benefit for retirees in the future.

Three mills of the tax is used to fund academic improvements, namely the universal pre-kindergarten and redirection programs. Funding for these programs comes completely from this portion of the tax.

The universal pre-kindergarten program ensures every child in St. John the Baptist Parish has access to an early childhood education regardless of their parents’ income.

The redirection program targets at-risk students and helps them get back on the right path to graduation. These programs are currently funded until 2019.

A vote in favor of renewal would continue these two programs beyond that date.

A vote against could lead to the cancellation of the universal pre-k and redirection programs after that time.

The final 4 mills is used to fund employee salaries. This portion of the tax allows the district to keep up the salaries of all employees, most of whom have a direct impact on our students.

A vote in favor of renewal would allow the district to maintain salaries for all of these employees and to keep teacher pay in the top 10 in the state and competitive with neighboring school districts.

The renewal was recently endorsed by the River Region Chamber of Commerce, which stated it “supports the initiatives made by our local governments to act responsibly to ensure business sustainability and a high quality of life for its residents as they use efficient operations to make proactive progress.”

If approved, the renewal would run for a period of 10 years, beginning in 2019 and ending in 2028.

Early voting begins Saturday/Sept. 30 and ends Saturday/Oct. 7. Residents can cast their ballots early at the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court’s Office in either LaPlace or Edgard.

Election day is Saturday/Oct. 14. Residents can vote between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at their designated polling location.

Jennifer Boquet is the communications specialist for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools. Email her at jboquet@stjohn.k12.la.us.