South Lafourche levee district seeks capital outlay funds

In its never-ending quest for funding to improve the ring levee system surrounding the 10th Ward, the South Lafourche Levee District has requested $50 million in capital outlay money from the state.

At its monthly meeting in Galliano, levee district general manager Windell Curole told board members he would ask that the money be distributed in $10 million increments over a five-year period.

Curole said any capital outlay money received would be used to improve the levee system. These funds will be teamed with the recently approved one-cent sales tax.

“We’re not happy about having to place this new tax on our citizens and we waited as long as we could but we have to protect ourselves as best we can,” said Curole.

The cost to raise the levee to a uniform elevation of 15 feet carries a price tag upward of $100 million, he noted. The higher elevation is being considered after the low spots in the system are increased to design level, he said.

The $100 million includes raising the earthen levee as well as the “hard structures” within the system, such as pump stations and discharge pipes, the general manager said.

“We’ve sent out correspondence to state and federal officials stating that our people have voted to tax themselves with both property and sales taxes in order to protect themselves and hold up the local end of the cost burden. It’s time for the other end to treat us fairly,” said Curole, who noted that because the levee system did its job and held back storm surge as it was designed to do, the district is being shortchanged in its receipt of federal and state funding in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

He also acknowledged that the district will continue to look for revenue sources for levee improvements wherever it can. “We are looking at any possible source of funding, on both the state and federal level, that could be helpful to our project,” he said.

The district is in the process of recapping and shoring up lower spots in the system caused by subsidence of the land. This is an occurrence that is taking place throughout south Louisiana according to recent elevation studies by several federal agencies.

Also at the meeting, district president Ronald Callais expressed thanks to voters for the recent overwhelming passage of a sales tax to be used for levee improvements. “The people showed their trust in us and we are very pleased with the outcome. We hope to continue to provide protection for the community for many years to come,” he said.