Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center millage up for renewal

Jordan Lippincott
·2 min read
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ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. (WGNO) — St. Tammany Parish leaders are urging voters to head to the polls on Saturday, April 27, for the Municipal General Election.

Voters in the Florida Parishes will be asked if they want to renew the three-mill property tax that funds the area’s juvenile justice district, which operates a 133-bed, high-security detention center.

“I think that giving kids skills and running an effective program is how we reduce the likelihood of them entering the system again, and that’s what’s happening at Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center,” said Executive Director of the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center Joseph Dominick.

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The millage renewal is being supported by the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce after receiving a recommendation from their board’s Advocacy and Public Policy Committee.

Michelle Biggs, the chamber’s vice president, says the juvenile justice district improves the quality of life, making the five-parish area desirable for business owners.

“We want to make sure that we keep it safe, so that more businesses can come because as they come in, then our community can continue to grow and prosper,” Biggs said.

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Dominick explains what’s at stake if the millage is not renewed.

“Within a year or year and a half, maybe, depending on how many staff we’d have to lay off, we’d have to close our doors,” said Dominick. “The tax is the primary funding source for the detention center, and it’s the only place that kids who get crossways with the law can go.”

Plus, the chamber believes the millage is affordable for homeowners.

“This is not a new tax; this is a millage renewal,” Biggs reiterated. “The average rate is $16.30 per average homeowner. So, we find it a very reasonable way to ensure that our community stays safe.”

The polls open at 7 a.m. on Saturday and close at 8 p.m.

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