Second vote's the charm for roads plan
Council rejects courthouse tax
Claire Taylor
Daily Advertiser



Residents will not get to vote on a proposed property tax to build a new parish courthouse after the Lafayette City-Parish Council voted down the measure.

Meanwhile, the council took the first step to place a 1-cent sales tax on the Nov. 7 ballot by adopting a feasibility report, which could mean an upgrade to roads and drainage in the area.

City-Parish President Joey Durel also disclosed Tuesday that voters in unincorporated parts of the parish and the smaller municipalities will be asked to vote in the near future for a tax to fund roads in their areas.

By a vote of 5-3 Tuesday, the council rejected a feasibility report for a new parish courthouse. The vote means the council cannot place the issue on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The report outlined how to spend $70 million generated by a proposed parishwide property tax for a parish courthouse.

Meanwhile, it took two tries Tuesday where the council had rejected then accepted a feasibility report outlining the road, traffic and drainage projects that could be built with a new proposed 1-cent sales tax in the city of Lafayette.

After discussing the report for at least 1 1/2 hours, the council was one vote shy of passage, ending with a 4-4 vote. Five are needed for passage.

Councilman Marc Mouton was absent but later returned to the meeting and, in a controversial move, the council voted 5-1 to accept the report. Councilman Louis Benjamin and Chris Williams, who voted against the report earlier, had already left the meeting for the second vote. Councilman Lenwood Broussard abstained from the second vote, saying he considered it illegal because of the way it was reintroduced.

Sept. 5 is the last day for the council to place an item on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Broussard noted that $100 million of the projects in the road and drainage sales tax report are state roads and some are not in the city of Lafayette.

The Coulee Ill Des Cannes drainage project runs through mostly unincorporated parts of the parish and the city of Scott, Broussard said, asking how the city sales tax can be spent there?

Intergovernmental agreements or cooperative endeavor agreements would be needed in such cases, Stanley said.

Broussard questioned why the administration did not propose a tax in unincorporated parts of the parish.

"The needs of the unincorporated area ... are so great that I can't understand why we just left them behind," Broussard said. "My first impression is that if you starve them out ... the only place they can go to is the area municipalities and the city of Lafayette."

Durel said other residents of the parish will get their chance to approve a tax.

"I promise you they will have the same opportunity in a relatively short period of time," Durel said.

Broussard Mayor Charles Langlinais said he endorses a city of Lafayette sales tax for roads and drainage and will support a call for a tax for rural areas and other municipalities to build connections to city roads.

***************************************************************
 CITY OF LAFAYETTE SALES TAX FEASIBILITY REPORT
 FEASIBILITY - NEW SALES TAX 2006
 CITY OF LAFAYETTE NEW 2006 SALES TAX BOND AUTHORITY ELECTION 
 
   REF  PROJECT  Reserves/  TOTAL 
 NO.  PROJECT DESCRIPTION  COST PER  Cost of   BOND 
       REPORT  Issuance  ISSUE
 I. PAY AS YOU GO PROGRAM
 ADMINISTRATIVE/PROGRAM COSTS #REF!
 DEPARTMENTAL NORMAL CAPITAL #REF!
#REF!
 STREET PROJECTS: #REF!
      1  Amb Caffery @ Ridge Inter. Impr. (bonds) #REF!
      2  Amb Caffery Rehab Ph I #REF!
      3  Asphalt Street Patching #REF!
      4  Bridge Renovations #REF!
      5  Cajundome Underpass Renovations #REF!
      6  Concrete Street Repairs #REF!
      7  Doc Duhon Road (bonds) #REF!
      8  E. Landry Road Ext (Caffry/La93)(bonds) #REF!
      9  I-10 Frontage Rds, SE, (I49/La Ave) #REF!
    10  I-10 Frontage Rds, SE, Ph I (N.St.Antoine/MLK) #REF!
    11  Luke St Extension, Ph III (bonds) #REF!
    12  Street Overlay/Reconstruction  #REF!
    13  W. Butcher/N Univ Turn Lanes (bonds) #REF!
 TOTAL STREETS-PAYG #REF!
#VALUE!
 DRAINAGE PROJECTS (SECONDARY):
    14  Alice/Grand Drainage #REF!
    15  Improved Coulee Maint/Rpr #REF!
    16  Maryview Farm Drainage Ph II #REF!
    17  Steiner Rd Drainage #REF!
    18  Subsurface Repr/Repl Underground Drnge #REF!
    19  Secondary Drainage (52-2) #REF!
    20    #REF!
 TOTAL DRAINAGE-PAYG #REF!
 RECREATION/PARKS PROJECTS:
    20  Athletic Field Improvements #REF!
    21  Beaullieu Park Imprs #REF!
    22  Moore Park Improvements #REF!
    23  Park Improvements-Citywide #REF!
    24  Playground Equipment #REF!
    25  Recreation Center Air Conditioners #REF!
    26  Recreation Centers Imprs (see bonds) #REF!
    27  Restroom Renovations #REF!
    28  Swimming Facility Improvements #REF!
    29  Tennis Facility Improvements #REF!
    30  Wetlands Golf Course & Facilities #REF!
    31  Wheels Park (Comp. Faclty) #REF!
 TOTAL RECREATION/PARKS-PAYG #REF!
 PUBLIC BUILDINGS PROJECTS:
    32  Acadiana Center for the Arts #REF!
    33  Cajundome Renovations #REF!
    34  Fire Station 4 Reconstruction #REF!
    35  Fire Station 7 Reconstruction #REF!
    36  HPACC Elevator/ADA #REF!
    37  HPACC Parking Lot Imprs #REF!
    38  HPACC Sound System #REF!
    39  HPACC Theatre Seating-Refurbish/ADA-Ph II #REF!
    40  HPACC Warehouse addition #REF!
    41  Multi-Modal Facility #REF!
    42  New Fire Station 14 #REF!
    43  Old Federal Bldg Renovation #REF!
    44  Wetlands Acquisition #REF!
 TOTAL PUBLIC BUILDINGS-PAYG #REF!
 SIDEWALKS PROJECTS: #REF!
    45  Sidewalks - Academy St. #REF!
 TOTAL SIDEWALKS-PAYG #REF!
 OTHER PROJECTS:
    46  Firing Range #REF!
    47  Roof Repair - City Court  #REF!
    48  Roofing and Exterior Bldg Rprs (54-1) #REF!
 TOTAL OTHER-PAYG #REF!
 TOTAL PAY AS YOU GO PROGRAM #REF!

 STREET & TRAFFIC PROJECTS:
      1  Amb. Caffery Pkwy Ext. North-Match        3,000,000           304,532             3,304,532
      2  Bellefontaine Drive Extension           750,000             76,133                826,133
      3  Carmel Ave (LA 94) Widening      17,000,000       1,725,681           18,725,681
      4  Duhon Rd/Robley Dr Ext., Ph. II        4,000,000           406,043             4,406,043
      5  Duhon Road (LA 724) Widening        4,000,000           406,043             4,406,043
      6  Doucet Rd. Improvements        2,447,000           248,397             2,695,397
      7  Dulles Drive Widening        9,970,000        1,012,061           10,982,061
      8  E. Verot School Rd Widening      10,000,000       1,015,107           11,015,107
      9  E. Pont Des Mouton Rd. Ext.      12,000,000       1,218,128           13,218,128
    10  E. Willow St. Extension      10,500,000        1,065,862           11,565,862
    11  E.  Broussard Rd. (LA 733) & Bridge Wdng      29,000,000        2,943,809           31,943,809
    12  Eraste Landry Rd., Ph. II-A        4,000,000           406,043             4,406,043
    13  Eraste Landry Rd. Ph. II-B        1,500,000           152,266             1,652,266
    14  Geometric Imprs at Intersections      15,000,000        1,522,660           16,522,660
    15  I-49 - Local Commitment        5,000,000           507,553             5,507,553
    16  I-10 Frontage Rd. SW, Ph. II        1,600,000           162,417             1,762,417
    17  I-10 Frontage Rd. NW (Univ.-Caff.)        9,500,000           964,351           10,464,351
    18  I-10 Frontage Rd. SE, Ph. II        1,100,000           111,662             1,211,662
    19  I-10 Frontage Rd. SE (La Ave area)        8,849,000           898,268             9,747,268
    20  I-10 Frontage Rd. NE (La Ave area)        5,124,000           520,141             5,644,141
    21  Intelligent Transp. System Match        3,000,000           304,532             3,304,532
    22  Johnston St./Amb. Caffery Inter Imprs        6,000,000           609,064             6,609,064
    23  Johnston St./E. Broussard Rd. Inter Imprs        3,700,000           375,589             4,075,589
    24  Johnston St. (LA 167) Imprs-Match        1,600,000           162,417             1,762,417
    25  Kaliste Saloom Rd. (LA 3095) Widening      20,000,000        2,030,213           22,030,213
    26  Louisiana Ave. Ext, Ph. II-D      11,500,000        1,167,373           12,667,373
    27  Louisiana Ave. Ext, Ph. III        7,100,000           720,726             7,820,726
    28  Luke St. Ext., Ph. II-B        2,000,000           203,021             2,203,021
    29  N. St. Antoine St. Ext.        8,120,000           824,267             8,944,267
    30  N. University Ave. Widening      15,000,000        1,522,660           16,522,660
    31  Rue Du Belier Ext., Ph. II        8,300,000          842,538             9,142,538
    32  S. College Rd. Ext., Ph. I        4,000,000           406,043             4,406,043
    33  S. College Rd. Ext., Ph. II      12,500,000        1,268,883           13,768,883
    34  Simcoe St. Corridor Imprs        4,800,000          487,251             5,287,251
    35  Streetscape Improvements-Ph II        6,400,000           649,668             7,049,668
    36  Sidewalks-Arterials & Collectors        3,000,000         304,532             3,304,532
    37  Teurlings Dr. Ext., Ph. II        6,200,000         629,366             6,829,366
    38  US 90 Bridge Widening      10,000,000        1,015,107           11,015,107
    39  US 90 Interchanges-Match      24,000,000        2,436,256           26,436,256
    40  W. Congress Street Ext.      20,000,000        2,030,213           22,030,213
    41  W. Willow St. Widening Ph II      12,000,000        1,218,128           13,218,128
 TOTAL STREET & TRAFFIC BONDS  $ 343,560,000  $  34,875,000  $     378,435,000
 DRAINAGE PROJECTS:
    42  Bellefontaine Drainage           900,000             91,358                991,358
    43  Belle Terre Outfall, Ph. II-A           800,000             81,207                881,207
    44  Broadmoor Coulee, Ph. II & III        4,900,000          497,391             5,397,391
    45  Concrete Channel Restoration        2,500,000        253,771             2,753,771
    46  Coulee Ile Des Cannes, Lat. 7      11,000,000        1,116,592           12,116,592
    47  Coulee Ile Des Cannes, Main Channel        3,000,000           304,525             3,304,525
    48  Coulee Mine Extension        3,000,000           304,525             3,304,525
    49  Debaillon Coulee, Ph. III        3,408,000           345,941             3,753,941
    50  Edith Coulee        3,500,000           355,279             3,855,279
    51  Edna Dr/Webb St Coulee        4,000,000           406,034             4,406,034
    52  Fanny Drive Outfall        4,000,000           406,034             4,406,034
    53  Isaac Verot Coulee        7,112,000           721,928             7,833,928
    54  Luke St./Wall St. Drainage        1,700,000           172,564             1,872,564
    55  McKinley/St. Mary Drainage           650,000             65,980                715,980
    56  Stone Ave. Outfall Ph III-B        2,600,000           263,922             2,863,922
    57  Redwood/Amaryllis Drng., Ph. II           500,000             50,754                550,754
    58  Regional Detention Basins        1,500,000         152,263             1,652,263
    59  Sunbeam Coulee, Ph. II        3,000,000         304,525             3,304,525
    60  Vermilion Lateral Outfall        3,000,000         304,525             3,304,525
    61  W. Farrell Rd. Outfall        1,500,000          152,263             1,652,263
    62  Walker Rd. Drainage-Ph II        2,400,000          243,620             2,643,620
         -                          -
 TOTAL DRAINAGE BONDS  $  64,970,000  $    6,595,000  $       71,565,000
 TOTAL BOND PROGRAM  $ 408,530,000 $   41,470,000  $     450,000,000

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