Why is the West Baton Rouge School Board asking for more money?
YOUR FAMILY IS ALREADY GETTING “SQUEEZED” - YOU CANNOT AFFORD HIGHER TAXES.
Consider these facts:
- vThe School Board already brings in almost $30 million per year from sales and property taxes. This is over $2 million more than was budgeted for 2016. This is in addition to the State’s MFP funding.
- vThe current school tax rate is 31.39 mils, including 12 mils already dedicated to salaries. They are asking for an additional 27 mils. If passed, the school tax portion of the millage will almost DOUBLE.
- vDon’t be fooled. This will affect EVERYONE, even seniors with “frozen” assessments, because the additional millage will still be applied to the “frozen” assessment. Landlords will increase rents.
- vInventory taxes currently yield over 30% of property taxes in WBR. The Governor’s Revenue Task Force is proposing to eliminate this tax, allowing a one-time millage roll-up, without a vote of the people, to replace the lost revenue. This would cause a millage increase of another roughly 25 mils. Combined with the proposed School Taxes, this would increase your total property tax bill by approximately 52 mils, a 60% tax increase.
- vPresident-elect Trump is expected to push for a nationwide voucher system. If this passes, local enrollment will drop as parents use vouchers to send children to private and parochial schools. The School Board may be building facilities that will not be needed, but you’ll still have to pay for it.
The State has already raised taxes by over $2 billion per year, and they plan to come after more.
WBR’s citizens cannot afford these increased taxes!
Protect Your Pocketbook - VOTE NO on December 10, 2016