East Baton Rouge Voters Reject Property Tax for DA's Office
Proposed 4-mill tax would have raised $24 million annually for staff and operations
Voters in East Baton Rouge Parish have rejected a property tax measure that would have generated funding for the District Attorney's office. The proposal sought to implement a 4-mill property tax that would have raised approximately $24 million annually for the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's staff. According to complete but unofficial results, the measure was defeated by a 20% margin with all precincts reporting.
District Attorney Hillar Moore stated that the additional funding was needed to maintain competitive salaries compared to other parishes in Louisiana. The funds would have also been used to expand staff and address a significant case backlog that the office is currently facing. For property owners, the tax would have amounted to $80 annually for homes valued at $200,000.
KEY POINTS
- •Voters reject DA funding tax by 20%
- •Tax would have raised $24M annually
- •DA cites case backlog as major concern
In response to the election results, Moore expressed disappointment but respect for the voters' decision. He acknowledged that parish residents may be experiencing election and tax fatigue, with some feeling they already pay sufficient taxes that should support constitutional offices. Moore noted that not all parish residents currently pay taxes that support the district attorney's office, public defenders, and the coroner.
The District Attorney expressed particular concern for employees and crime victims following the vote's outcome. Moore emphasized that without additional staff, the office cannot improve its operations, keep pace with technology, or clear its case backlog. Despite the setback, he indicated that the office would continue working with existing resources, though he maintained they are still overwhelmed by their caseload.