Eddie Harrington – District 1 City Councilman
Many of our citizens are very upset regarding recent activity within the city concerning the cost of chamber renovations and a proposed 1% tiff tax.
I was not in agreement to the renovations on the council chambers. In fact, I cast a “No” vote.
I am also not in agreement with the 1% tiff tax increase. Many of the businesses which would be affected do not want this to happen. The sales tax in that area is already very high. A further increase could hinder several businesses and make them less competitive. I am also under the belief that the sports complex maintenance and upkeep can be funded without the tax increase.
To end on a positive note, the sports complex will be an incredible addition to our city. There are already out of town tournaments booked every weekend from February to July. These travel ball tournaments will be a great boom to our economy. We must ensure the complex is maintained efficiently and I believe we can without the added tax.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Call me at 318-352-5900
email: eddie.harrington@theharringtonlawfirm.com
Facebook @natchitochesdistrict1.
I believe it’s time to consider a consolidated form of government in which one governing body is responsible for the entire parish. This seems to be working in the parishes that have consolidated like East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Terrebonne. However, some on the City Council and Parish Council would have to give up their positions as we wouldn’t need so much representation. Consolidation would have to cover everything like one road crew, no longer one for the City and a separate crew for the Parish. We might need only one law enforcement agency – perhaps the Sheriff would be responsible for both within and outside the City. Parish and City offices would have to be combined. The list can go on and on with savings expected wherever we currently have duplication.
That is an interesting idea. I have lived and worked in areas that had one LE agency for the entire county and it seemed to work well. The officers were better equipped and better trained because the dollars went further.
Why not use sime of the city inmates to maintain all public areas in town. They sit there sucking up hoysing, meals, free legal council and medical care, why not utilize some of their time to work like the tax payers of the city.
Absolutely
Agreed! inmates pick up litter
That is a great idea and would work,that’s why they wouldn’t do it!! That would save a lot of money.
question- point i would like to make is how the public was not involved when Natch. annexed the 49 corridor–at least the parish residents should have had a voice concerning the tax monies to be used to fix roads–City robs peter to pay paul and leaves outlining residents wallowing in mud–
Paul lives in the city limits!! I think on Front Street!
he played both sides of that fence well.LOL
keep taxing watch people leave even more to shop and eat out of town .
Guess we will know when the council votes.
It is great to see that travel ball teams will be using the complex every weekend – My concern is when will the children of Natchitoches get to use the complex – And why don’t the travel teams pay a fee to use the complex – Where will the gate money and concession money go
I think the travel teams have to pay fees to be in tournaments….
It would be ludicrous to not let local kids use the facilities when they aren’t being used for tournaments.
And it would be just as ludicrous if gate and concession money isn’t used to maintain the sports complex. That grass isn’t going to mow itself. Litter doesn’t just magically fall into trash bags, and bathrooms aren’t cleaned by fairies and pixies.
It bothers me that Economic Dist. C was created without any residents in it so there’s no one to vote on issues directly relating its businesses. It bothers me that taxes already collected from Economic Dist. C are being used in other districts.
If some of the $ is going to NSU because it draws in tourists for athletic events, homecoming, and graduations, then why wouldn’t other tourist draws get some of that money? For example, the Sports Hall of Fame draws in some tourists, as do all the plantations in the area. People come here for the R & B and Jazz festival, the Meat Pie Festival, and the Christmas Festival. All those people mill around on the lake front dropping their trash, using the Port-O-Potties, etc. Why wouldn’t some of this new tax money go toward maintaining the lakefront? How about toward the fireworks? Some people skip the Christmas Festival and come to town just to see the fireworks. They draw tourists as much as anything else.
And the Hotel Saint Denis STILL hasn’t paid what it owes the city?! Somebody is greasing palms on the tax commission so the hotel doesn’t have to come up with its back taxes.
What is going on in this town?
very well put Jade I love everything you said my friend.And
Ludicrus was an awesome rapper !
These are the questions that no one seems to want to answer.
Way to go Eddie!!!!! Make it happen!
Well then, TAX ALL THE BUSINESSES IN TOWN! problem solved! enough already