Raceland voters extend recreation tax

Raceland voters extended a property tax to fund recreation by a 277 to 103 vote, according to complete but unofficial results issued by the Secretary of State.

Turnout for the single-issue, district-specific April 5 ballot was 4.5 percent of 8,382 qualified voters, according to the Secretary of State. Seventy-three percent of the voters agreed to extend the tax.

The measure will permit Recreation Dist. 2 to collect 3 mills on taxable property through 2024, though the parish council rolled back the millage to 2.67 to adjust for rising property assessments. Bond writers estimate the tax will generate $131,000 in annual revenue.

At a rate of 2.67 mills, owners of property assessed at $150,000 will pay roughly $20 in Recreation Dist. 2 taxes.

The district oversees 40 acres of property, including 12 soccer fields, five baseball fields, a football field and a gymnasium, home to a basketball court and exercise programming for senior citizens.

Tax proceeds are used to fund maintenance of the facilities and operations of sports leagues. Leagues are given stipends to purchase uniforms and sporting equipment, according to the district’s chairman, who said before the vote revenues will not be bonded for capital projects.

In addition to several district-specific property taxes, Lafourche’s property owners are taxed at a parishwide millage rate of 1.54 for recreational facilities. That revenue is disbursed annually. Recreation District 2 received $66,000 of $519,000 from the parishwide tax in 2014.