The Advocate
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber, the economic development engine of city-parish government, has released election endorsements asking voters to reject a new Council on Aging tax but to continue funding the parish wide park system.
The Council on Aging’s property tax would more than double the size of the agency’s budget after the agency had a less-than-stellar audit this year. Proponents say it would help the Council to expand its services to more seniors, but opponents argue the Council on Aging does not need a dedicated tax for its services.
“While BRAC supports services being provided to seniors of the parish, the size of this new tax compared to previous funding levels, coupled with recent financial issues at the agency, are causes for concern,” the chamber wrote.
The BREC property tax is a renewal of an existing tax that goes toward park maintenance and upkeep.
“Continuing excellent parks and recreation facilities and services is a key component of BRAC’s focus on quality of place initiatives that attract and retain a talented workforce,” the chamber wrote.