LAKE ARTHUR – Officials agreed Wednesday to call a March 26, 2022, election for three separate tax renewals to fund recreation, streets and drainage.

All are 10-year renewals with no tax increase for maintenance, improvement and operation, according to Mayor Sherry Crochet.

“The help us with getting things done in the town,” Crochet said. “We have to pave streets, do repairs and all the other things that we have to do so it’s very important that we have these taxes to help across all areas of the town.”

The first proposition asks voters to approve 2.84 mills for the maintenance, improvement and operation of recreational facilities and public parks in the town. The tax is expected to generate $29,100 annually.

The second proposition sees renewal of 5.51 mills for maintenance and upkeep of streets and alleys in town. The tax is expected to bring in $56,400 a year.

The last proposition is for renewal of 5.51 mills for maintenance and upkeep of the drainage system, including drainage ditches in town. An estimated $56,400 a year is expected to be collected from the levy of the tax.

In other matters, the Board of Aldermen adopted a resolution supporting the recently passed disaster supplemental funding.

Similar resolutions have been passed by the Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury, city of Jennings and other local governing bodies.

The resolution calls upon the entire Louisiana legislative delegation and congressional delegation to work with President Biden and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make the full $5 billion authorized available for use by states with disaster declared in 2020.

“We are asking for this so that things can move in a faster manner to get the recovery effort needed,” Crochet said.

The resolution further calls on HUD to extend trust to local government entities, allowing flexibility in utilization of disaster relief funds, to include using the funds as part of the local cost share for disaster response funding administered by other federal entities.

The resolution requests HUD to provide up-front disbursement of a portion of funding for projects meeting the criteria for inclusion under the State’s Action Plan.

The resolution also asks HUD to recognize during the rulemaking process, that every expenditure by local governments is already subject to audit, and that placing onerous pre-disbursement requirements on local and state government entities will further delay rebuilding and prolong the suffering of communities.