St. Landry Parish Officials To Seek Increase In Sales Tax To Fund Roads

ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KPEL) -- Officials in rural St. Landry Parish will ask voters this fall to enact an increase in the sales tax for unincorporated areas to be used toward repairing the "deplorable" conditions of the parish's 800 miles of roadway.

The measure, which would increase the sales tax in unincorporated St. Landry Parish from 7.55 percent to 9.55 percent, would generate about $7.8 million in its first year, according to Parish President Bill Fontenot.

Of the parish's 800 miles of roadway, about 700 need some type of work, Fontenot said.

Fontenot is asking voters to pass a sales tax measure similar to what already exists and works in neighboring parishes.

"This...is not a new idea because St. Martin Parish has done something like it," Fonenot said. "Acadia Parish has. Evangeline Parish has. So our neighboring parishes who drive outside St. Landry and we see good roads on a local level, but they have paid for it themselves with a sales tax."

Fontenot says they would immediately issue a 15-year bond, which is expected to generate about $70 million, to begin roadwork improvement immediately.

Voters in rural St. Landry Parish will be able to vote on the sales tax measure on Oct. 19.

To listen to the full interview with Fontenot, click on the 'Play' button below.