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The Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce has released a position paper in support of the ballot initiative of the Terrebonne Recreation Modernization Task Force. Many residents may not know what voting entails, so here’s more information according to the position statement.
Voting on March 26 for some districts will include a merger recommendation of the 4 Rec districts in North Terrebonne (Rec Districts 1, ⅔, 8, and 9) which was made after the task force studied all 11 Rec Districts and looking at numerous possible merger combinations. The proposition being voted on is a replacement millage, not a new tax.
Simply put, a vote “for” means that voters are in favor of the merger, and a vote “against” means that voters are satisfied with the current system. The current millage paid are as follows:
- Rec District 1 current millage is 7.0 Mills
- Rec District ⅔ current millage is 5.0 Mills
- Rec District 8 current millage is 9.0 Mills
- Rec District 9 current millage is 14.77 Mills
If the recommendation is passed, all millages will be 6.5 Mills. What does this mean? The current tax revenue of the four districts combined ate $3, 753,497.60. If passed, the tax revenue would be $3,630,591.60. The proposal balances the tax rate across the area so that residents and businesses pay the same rate which would be the lowest recreation millage rate in Terrebonne Parish.
According to the position paper, the Task Force studied a full merger of all 11 Terrebonne Rec Districts plus numerous options of merging various combinations of Districts before unanimously proposing the North Terrebonne merger. North Terrebonne voters would consist of Rec District 1 which serves Schriever, Grey, and Bayou Blue, Rec District ⅔ which serves part of Sugar Mill/Summerfield to Hwy. 311 and then through Martin Luther King Blvd. to Broadmoor and Lisa Park, Rec District 8 which serves Gibson and Donner, and Rec District 8 which serves Mulberry and Bayou Black. The paper said the task force considered financially predictable outcomes, districts with high “cross-district usage” that share borders and focused on future development to have one plan managing growth.
The organization’s ‘why’ behind the support begins with saying the merger would reduce repetitive operating costs. “The 4 Rec Districts have volunteer Board Members, but they have paid Agency Heads, paid full-time and part-time staff, paid bookkeepers, paid lawyers, paid accountants, etc…By merging into 1 Rec District, the duplication of services can be slashed so that tax dollars can be removed from administrative and operating costs and put into neighborhood parks and capital projects,” the statement said.
They also said with one district, a true integrated smart growth plan can be implemented to ensure residents can enjoy many opportunities throughout the district. By reducing government waste, the statement said, the estimated annual revenue available for parks and projects is ~$2 million per year. They said it’s enough revenue to generate almost $9 million for capital projects in the District plus have a $5.5 million “Neighborhood Park revitalization campaign” over the 10-year life of the millage. Plus, an additional $550,000 per year would be able to be allocated for maintenance and reserve funds.
“This will speed the development and help maintain quality of life projects which increases civic pride, promote health and wellness, increase economic development through sports tourism, and help employers retain and attract talent to maintain our small and large businesses,” the position statement said.
Election day is March 26, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at normal polling locations. Early voting is coming up soon which is March 12, and March 14-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Registrar of Voters Office. For more information, visit letsdomore.today.
