Lafourche port board votes down millage hike proposal

The board of commissioners of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission voted down a measure that would have increased the tax millage the port receives from the parish.

Commissioners voted to keep the millage at its current rate of 6.84 mills, and not increase it to the statutorily allowed maximum of 6.94 mills. Before the 5-4 vote, one short of a required two-thirds majority for passage, board members spoke passionately from both sides of the issue.

“I am not for a tax increase and this is a tax increase,” said Commissioner Jimmy “T-Jim” Lafont. “The port is healthy enough financially. We don’t need this.”

The port’s 2011 budget is slightly more than $79 million. The millage funded $3 million of the budget, and the port would have added an additional $46,500 to the figure with the rate hike.

The tax is only levied and collected in the 10th Ward of the parish, which is all of the area south of the Intracoastal Waterway. The money goes toward port operations, repairs, maintenance and improvements.

“The port is financially healthy right now, but if some type of calamity hits and we are placed in a crisis or emergency situation, and the port needs to borrow or bond out money, this millage is all we have to back us up with the state or any financial institutions,” Commissioner Donald Vizier said. “Voting for this is not about today, it’s about the future and what could happen then.”

Commissioner John Melancon Jr. said that the action being considered was, “more of a renewal than an increase,” because the approval was already in place to go to the higher rate if the board chose to do so. “This port funds a lot of things and we help to create a lot of good jobs in the area. If we give this up, we may never get it back,” he said.

Voting for the millage increase were commissioners Wilbert Collins, Ervin “Vin” Bruce, Vizier, Jimmy Guidry and Melancon. Commissioners Harris “Chuckie” Cheramie, Jr., Larry Griffin, Lafont and Perry Gisclair voted against.