Sunday, November 4, 2012 - The Lafourche Gazette

4-A Sunday, November 4, 2012 THE LAFOURCHE GAZETTE 

2012 would not be granted 

Amendments as they sent a letter to the 

Council at the last minute 

withdrawing their request 

for an increase to 2.0 mills. 

The Council voted 

unanimously against rolling 

forward and granted the 

COA its adjusted maximum 

of 1.98 mills. 

The Library’s roll forward 

request was a more 

contentious debate. Mrs. 

Lynette Fossum, the Library 

Board of Control President, 

argued against the charge 

by many Councilmen that 

her board already has an 

excessive fund balance. 

“We have $9 million in 

the bank, but we have unresolved 

things,” she said, referring 

to ongoing problems 

with the Thibodaux Library’s 

From 1-A 

an additional $7,500 of 

assessed property value to 

the surviving spouse of a 

veteran so long as the 

spouse has a 100 percent 

service connected disability 

rating from the U.S. Department 

of Veterans Affairs. 

Current language only provides 

the exemption for the 

disabled individual. 

Proposed amendment 

five would require the forfeiture 

of public retirement 

benefits by any person convicted 

of a felony related to 

the public office or employment 

held while committing 

the crime. The effective date 

for this proposal would 

apply to any persons hired 

or elected to office on or 

after January 1, 2013. Any 

forfeited benefits would then 

be applied to the unfunded 

accrued liability of the individual’s 

retirement system. 


six would allow the City of 

New Iberia to grant exemptions 

from taxes on property 

annexed by the city after 

January 1, 2013. 


seven would adjust the 

number of seats on educational 

boards such as the 

LSU Board of Supervisors 

and the Board of Regents to 

15, with two members from 

each of the state’s six congressional 

district and the 

remainder to be appointed 

from the state at large. 

Currently, two members 

from each of the state’s 

seven congressional districts 

make up the composition 

of these boards, with 

one member selected from 

the state at large. 


eight would authorize the 

granting of ad valorem tax 

exemptions to eligible businesses 

that undertake a facility 

expansion or business 

expansion. Act 871 of the 

2012 regular session of the 

Louisiana Legislature spells 

out the criteria for the exemption, 

contingent on this 

amendment passing on November 

6. Eligibility for the 

exemption would be limited 

to those projects for a new 

or expanded facility with a 

capital expenditure over 

$25 million and with the expectation 

that at least 50 

jobs will be created. 


nine would require that 

public notice in a newspaper 

being given three times 

instead of two the notice of 

intent to introduce a bill 

creating a special district to 

aid in crime prevention. 

The notice must also note if 

a fee would be required in 

the creation of the district. 

Council From 1-A 

District 7, in a letter to 

the Council, asked for the 

increase in order to upgrade 

its equipment, but had no 

representation at Tuesday’s 

meeting. 

Councilman Phillip 

Gouaux spoke in support of 

District 7’s request. 

“This is a group established 

for our protection. I 

would think we would support 

their request,” he said. 

But Councilman Jerry 

Lafont, noting that two of 

District 7’s board members 

are tax exempt, was less favorable 

in his opinion. 

“It is easy to raise taxes 

when you don’t pay taxes,” 

he said. 

The roll forward failed. 

The vote was 4-2, with Lafont 

and Lindel Toups voting 

against. Jones, Delatte, 

and Arnold were absent. 

Similarly, when Fire 

District 4’s roll forward millage 

was considered, Councilmen 

were not willing to 

grant a higher millage for 

2012. 

“We have $2000 in the 

bank,” said District 4 Board 

Chairman Kerry Alley. “We 

are in a partnership with the 

Thibodaux Fire Department. 

They own, operate, and 

maintain all our equipment. 

They are in the process of 

buying a new truck for us. 

That is why we ask for the 

increased revenue. It will 

equal about $6000.” 

Councilman Lindel 

Toups said the Thibodaux 

Fireman’s Fair breaks revenue 

records every year. “I 

can’t vote for a roll forward,” 

he said. 

The vote was 3-3. Lorraine, 

Lafont, and Toups 

voted against the roll forward. 

The Council on Aging 

(COA) must have realized its 

roll forward request for 

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roof, among other issues. 

“If we change the millage, 

we will have buildings 

without services,” she continued. 

Fossum admitted she 

was under the impression 

that this was the Library 

Board’s last chance to roll 

forward. 

Parish Finance Director 

Ryan Freidlander reminded 

the Council that 2012 is the 

reassessment year and that 

each board may roll forward 

at least once during the 

four-year period 2012- 

2015, but not necessarily 

this year. 

The Council voted 0-6 

against granting the Library’s 

roll forward, and 6- 

0 for its adjusted 2012 

millage. 

It explains Medicare Part C as a coverage 

option under Medicare. And it o�ers 

additional information about Peoples 

Health – the choice of more than 50,000 

people with Medicare in southeast 

Louisiana. This information is free 

and there’s no obligation. 

Gov’t paying for emergency transportation in NY 

ALICIA A. CALDWELL 

Associated Press 

WASHINGTON (AP) - For the 

next week the federal government 

will pay all of the 

costs to help get public 

transportation and power 

restored to parts of New 

York and New Jersey hit 

hardest by Superstorm 

Sandy, the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency 

said Thursday. 

FEMA Administrator 

Craig Fugate said President 

Barack Obama has approved 

requests from New Jersey 

and New York for the government 

to cover the costs for 

emergency transportation, 

including helping repair sub- 

way tunnels and get buses 

running, and power grid repairs 

for 10 days. He did not 

give any estimates of how 

much that could cost. 

The president’s decision 

does not mean that the government 

will eventually reimburse 

the states for all 

the costs to repair damage 

from the massive storm that 

plunged parts of Manhattan 

into darkness, shut down 

much of the subway and destroyed 

parts of the New 

Jersey shore. 

Fugate said FEMA generally 

pays states back for 

75 percent of repair and recovery 

costs. In some cases, 

the agency has covered as 

much as 90 percent of dis- 

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asters costs. 

But Fugate said it’s too 

early to know how much of 

the costs the government 

may eventually cover. 

“What will be needed 

later, as far as cost share 

adjustments, will be made 

later,” Fugate said. 

Officials from both states 

have asked that the government 

reimburse the local governments 

for all of the costs. 

Insurance companies 

have estimated that the 

storm could cost them anywhere 

from $10 billion to 

$20 billion. According to the 

forecasting firm Eqecat, total 

economic damage could run 

as high as $50 billion. 

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press 

The 

benefit inf information for ormatio 

on pr provided ovided 

is a br brief ief summ summary, mary, 

not a complet complete e description desc cription 

of benefits. 

For 

more moore 

information 

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Sunday, November 4, 2012 - The Lafourche Gazette

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