The Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury is looking to create a new Economic Development District to spur economic development and infrastructure improvements along the Interstate 10 corridor extending from Roanoke to Iowa.

During a Finance Committee meeting Wednesday, police jurors discussed creating the district along the industrial area of I-10 including Roanoke, Lacassine and the U.S. 165 exit to help fund infrastructure improvements.

“What this does, is we can add up to a two-cent tax on goods and services sold within the district,” Police Juror President Steve Eastman said. “Then that money can be used to do infrastructure in that district which encompasses a lot.”

The city of Jennings created the city’s first economic development district earlier this year. The creation allows the city to levy a new one-cent sales tax within the district’s boundaries to help offset a sewer lift relocation project to accommodate construction of a new business at the corner of La. 26 and Interstate Drive.

How much the Police Jury collects from the new district will depend on the type of business and what they sell, he said.

“Government survives by tax income, but this interstate corridor attracts traveling visitors and those people will stop at this little truck stop in Lacassine or the truck stop that is coming in Roanoke and they will pay the taxes to bring water and sewer there,” Eastman said. “Yes, if a local Roanoke or Lacassine person goes there and buys, they are going to pay the taxes, but there are other places they can go and shop to avoid those additional taxes.”

Creating the taxing district would give the parish funds to build out the infrastructure that is needed to attract developers and inventors to the area, he said.

“What we are trying to do is get water and sewer in that area,” he said. “If we can get that the area should blossom. This will be industry to create jobs.”

Eastman said the Jeff Davis Parish Economic Development office is bombarded with requests from developers and investors looking for potential locations for business and industry.

Officials hope to have the new district in place by early 2024.

The Police Jury is also exploring creating the Cal-David Business and Industrial Park, which will allow the parish to work with the town of Iowa in attracting businesses, upgrading infrastructure and improving traffic control along the I-10 corridor from the Lacassine Industrial Park to west of Iowa.