April 27 election: East Baton Rouge voters will decide taxes, elect new Baker council member

Bonnie Bolden
·2 min read

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The race for District 4 Councilmember in the city of Baker is a runoff between Robert Young and Toni Jackson. Both are Democrats.

The Municipal General Election in Louisiana will be held on Saturday, April 27. Polls will be open from 7 am. to 8 p.m., and more information can be found at the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website.

Voters across Louisiana will determine local runoff elections, consider tax proposals and finalize some leadership of the Republican and Democratic committees at the state and community levels.

Two local tax proposals also are on the ballot.

Louisiana Supreme Court: St. George can incorporate into new city, taxes can support services

What do the tax proposals support?

Central Community School Board

One is a 32.52-mill renewal that supports the Central Community School Board. It’s reasonably estimated to collect $7,114,107, and would be used “for giving additional support to public schools, including paying salaries and benefits of school personnel and other costs of maintaining and operating the school system.” If passed, it would last from 2027 to 2036.

Mayfair Park/Park East/Heights Crime Prevention and Improvement District

The other is a continuation of an annual parcel fee that supports the Mayfair Park/Park East/Heights Crime Prevention and Improvement District. Up to $144 per parcel would be collected for five years, starting in 2024. (It is not levied on the parcels of residents 65 and older.) The maximum initial collection is estimated to be $63,360. If passed, the funds would be used to aid “in crime prevention, adding to the security of District residents by providing for an increase in the presence of law enforcement personnel, beautification of public spaces within the District, and promoting and encouraging beautification of private spaces within the District.”

Previous EBR election news

On Saturday, March 23, East Baton Rouge Parish voters re-elected Darnell Waites as the mayor of Baker, elected Carl Dunn as Baker police chief and chose Emily Soule as the new District 8 School Board member. Desiree Collins, Democrat, was elected to the Baker District 3 seat.

Previously, Charles Vincent, Democrat, won the District 1 council seat in Baker unopposed at qualifying. Cedric Murphy took the District 5 seat unopposed when competitor Crodell Veal withdrew; both are Democrats.

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