By Michelle Bates

Voters will be asked to cast their ballot on several propositions in April, including a parish-wide renewal, a special tax renewal for the Shady Grove Recreation District and a proposition for Bienville Parish Fire Protection District 6.

Parish-wide renewal

In January’s Bienville Parish Police Jury meeting, the jury adopted a resolution to renew a parish-wide tax for road maintenance and other purposes for parish roads.

The continuation of the 6.03 mills on all property subject to taxation would provide roughly $2.5 million annually for the “purpose of building, improving and maintaining roads and bridges in the parish.” The renewal will be good through 2025.

For this renewal to be added to the April 27 ballot, it will cost the parish approximately $46,000.

The renewal below will appear similarly on the ballot on April 27:

“Shall the Parish of Bienville, State of Louisiana (the “Parish”), continue to levy a 6.03 mills tax on all the property subject to taxation in the Parish (an estimated $2,568,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2026 and ending with the year 2035, for the purpose of providing necessary funds for the purpose of building, improving and maintaining roads and bridges in the Parish, said millage to represent an .11 mills increase (due to reappraisal) over the 5.92 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2025 pursuant to an election held on March 28, 2015?”

Shady Grove Recreation District renewal

For the Shady Grove Recreational District, the renewal of this special tax will provide roughly $91,000 for the “purpose of acquiring, constructing, maintaining and operating recreational facilities for the District, including the acquisition of equipment therefor?”

The special tax is 5 mills for 10 years on all property subject to taxation. The renewal below will appear similarly on the ballot on April 27:

“Shall Shady Grove Recreation District, Bienville Parish, Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a special tax of 5 mills on all the property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $91,580 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of
10 years, beginning with the year 2025 and ending with the year 2034, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, maintaining and operating recreational facilities for the District, including the acquisition of equipment therefor?”

Bienville Parish Fire Protection District 6

The Bienville Parish Fire Protection District 6 asked the police jury to add a proposition for a special tax to the April 27 ballot for the “purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining, operating and/or
purchasing fire protection equipment and facilities and emergency medical service facilities, vehicles and equipment for the District, including payment of salaries in connection therewith?”

The proposition below will appear similarly on the ballot:

“Shall Bienville Parish Fire Protection District No. 6, State of Louisiana (the “District”), levy a 10 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $455,600 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2024 and ending with the year 2033, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining, operating and/or purchasing fire protection equipment and facilities and emergency medical
service facilities, vehicles and equipment for the District, including payment of salaries in connection therewith?”

If passed by voters, the tax would be 10 mills for 10 years, bringing in roughly $455,000 annually.

BPFD 6 already has a property tax they collect, which brings in around $300,000 annually, but officials say it’s not quite enough to make ends meet.

In the coming editions all propositions and ballot items will be covered.

Early voting for the April 27 election will begin April 13 through April 20, excluding Sunday, April 14. Voting hours will be from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. On Election Day, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.