Director Of Lafayette Parks Says They Need More Money

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — Lafayette Parks and Recreation Director Gerald Boudreaux laid out dim prospects for the future of his department without an increased recreation tax or other new revenue sources.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1eIZkY4) Boudreaux spoke Monday to a citizen's advisory group formed to review financial challenges facing local government.

Chief among those challenges in recent years has been the Parks and Recreation Department, which is supported by a 1.92-mill property tax that brings in about $2.5 million a year toward a $12.5 million annual parks and recreation budget.

Recreation fees contribute a few million dollars to the revenue stream, but the department depends on subsidies of about $5 million each year from other areas of the budget.

Boudreaux said those subsidies seem to be more threatened each year because of other needs.