It’s time for Natchitoches parish residents to take action. Councilman Doug de Graffenried spoke to the Walter P Ledet Coffee Club June 28. An ordinance was introduced at the Parish Council meeting June 20 that would create four new road districts.
The Parish isn’t hiding or misspending road revenue; it’s just not there. So it’s become a matter for the voters to take action or, or stop condemning the Parish government and its highway department for things that are beyond their command. The Parish is facing a $132 million problem to fix all the roads in its system.
If residents approve the creation of these new road districts, they will be assessed a 15 mill property tax. Over 10 years this tax would generate $34 million parish-wide. The money generated by this tax would only be spent in the area it was generated in. So any districts that don’t get approved would only have the money from the general highway fund and the road district 40 fund.
The districts that are approved will have over 80 percent of potential tax revenue in each road district, which would be available in 2018 (that’s $26 million to use on the roads).
The road districts would include the following wards:
1 – ward 1 (excluding incorporated City limits)
2 – wards 2,3 and 4
3 – wards 5,6,7 and 8
4 – wards 9 and 10
“This is just one of those responsibilities of owning property,” said Doug. “It’s an expensive proposition to fix the roads right.”
SEE HOW MUCH THE FUNDS AVAILABLE ARE IN EACH DISTRICT – Just Click Document below:
NOTE: The new tax districts follow the lines of WARDS 1 through 10. That is the way the parish tax records are kept.
I know someone in local govt. should know how much tax money is generated by the Campti IP paper mill–I heard it was millions—The next question is where this money is going to besides it not being on rural parish roads –Reason being is our rural roads are torn up by logging operations day and nite and a large portion of said tax should be used on our roads–How much tax money is taken in on diesel fuel bought by logging operations and why is this money not strictly for rural roads–I am sure if most of the logging industry taxes would go to roads we would have better roads–There are solutions if one wants solutions–
I would like to add to a my last comments since the city seems to be hub of all our tax monies and the rest of us peons out here are left to scrub for ourselves we need to find out if legally at district lines surrounding the castle if toll booths could be set up at each road entering the Kingdom–
The road system has gone to hell
For a department that is broke, they sure are adding a lot of new employees. Not to mention that Mr. Verret is working part time for the City of Natchitoches.
Rev. de Graffenried – The citizens HAVE and ARE taking action !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shame on you and the council for blaming the voters. This boorish, condescending, contemptuous attitude; in tandem with no confidence in the parish government is why the parish government is NOT getting what it WANTS !!
Parish government has ignored us for years we never will vote for anymore road taxes no such thing fixing the roads never has been
Rick knowlin is a liar so is nick verrett
Liar liar pants on fire
From what I understand, the problem with money (and by extension: the roads) started many years ago and cannot be fixed due to intentional sabotage. That’s what the government official said to me.
You can bet what will be funded and fixed first!
The council is no good lazy bums
The road taxes we pay does not go on our roads it never did
How about a sales tax rather than a property tax.? There are a lot of Natchitoches Parish citizens that get left out of this because they rent, have homestead, etc.,.. it’s not fair for property owners to carry all the burden.
Not that it will make much difference but why are we paying “council members” any type of benefits/pay? If they were truly concerned about our parish they would do it without any benefits!!
Tried a Sales tax last year! Failed!
If citizens had any sense all the renewals should have failed that were on the last ballot forcing everyone to look at the tax structure again! I own property and it’s not fair again to tax just land owners.
You ever notice the lines of districts are very crooked.. it’s a reason why. If they wanted to better the parish they,would make this plan either as one district and tackle the roads thst are in the most disrepair first or they would split the city limits in half and make a north and south district or a east and west district where either half would get the most benefit from the most tax revinew generated. NO WAY … that would make to much sense and do to much for the parish ad a whole. 34 million parish wide see that lines a lot of pockets if there is any doubt about it drive to the parish lines in any direction and there lies your proof right below your car. I would be ok with this if it was done correctly but it won’t.
well put ! and you are correct .Desoto has good roads,Rapides has good roads,Many is a little so so,and I don’t ever go to Winnfield.
1 – Tax must follow the WARD districts
2 – There was a parish wide sales tax last fall… it failed
3 – If we don’t fund the roads…. they will go away!
4 – Other Parishes fund their roads.
5 – We have a 30+-year old road fund. Not enough for this size Parish.
Its so obvious that you support this anyways. Public service is just that, public service not paid service. They should forfeit their salaries and then their heart would be in it. By the way, when the parish goverent was passed, half of the juror seats were supposed to be vacated and districts combined. That never happened. The jury money goes to but excess vehicle purchases, foot bills for the detention center that earns money through release labor that goes directly to sheriffs office, not jiry. When is next jury meeting?
How much taxes come from logging in this parish–whatever it is should go to total road funding since their trucks tear up rural roads–On Katsatchie forest once a logger starts an operation they maintain the roads cuz they tear it up–
hell lets charge tax if you drive to a different district,or install toll booths to help pay for roads,or just start a ” Go Fund Me page ” Please help us pay for our roads because we can’t.LOL
just amazing that city so called officials would just let the road go
to pot and now they are trying to push it off on the people / district.
The officials screwed the pooch !!
I say fire people and get people who will do the jobs.I wonder who will pay for damaged tires,front ends,allignments ?
why is it the smaller the district, the larger the population? Bait and switch , here we go again!
Horrible…horrible idea. Program like this only benefits a few, usually the more powerful and influential, and leaves the districts with low tax bases unable to fend for themselves and completely ignored. BEST SOLUTION – create a single road tax district for the entire Parish whereby funds are collected into one bucket so to speak, and spent throughout the parish or where the needs are. Natchitoches Parish citizens travel throughout the parish and it would seem ridiculous to have some roads in excellent shape while neighboring areas remain in total disrepair. This idea smells like separate but equal which has never worked and tends to discriminate and affect the less fortunate the most. Come on council people, lets start getting smart and do whats right for all of Natchitoches Parish.
How many miles of parish roads exist in each proposed ‘Road District’ and what would be the initial cost in each proposed new district to bring these roads to minimum standards?
Very good question.
If only 80% to road where does other 20% go? Can’t tell by map what district would point place be in?