Iberville, Pointe Coupee voters fuel passage of Clayton's 18th JDC anti-crime initiative

Majority support in two of three parishes during a special election Saturday led to passage of a .25-cent sales tax to fund tougher anti-crime initiatives in the 18^th Judicial District.   

In addition, voters in St. Gabriel elected a new City Council member. Two fire district millage renewals also got the green light from voters.  

On the tri-parish sales tax proposal, the 10-year initiative proposed by District Attorney Tony Clayton passed with 5,411 votes (53 percent), while 4,872 voters (47 percent) opposed the measure.

The initiative was on the ballot in the three parishes served by the 18^th JDC – Iberville, Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge.

A total of 2,277 votes (55 percent) in Iberville and 1,758 (63 percent) in Pointe Coupee secured the victory.

In West Baton Rouge, 2,004 voters (59 percent) opposed and 1,376 (41 percent) approved.    The opposition was fueled largely by a WBR-based anti-tax coalition that posted signage against the plan throughout the parish, along with some areas in Iberville and Pointe Coupee.

Turnout was meager for the vote. Only 19.5 percent of Iberville’s registered voters practiced their Constitutional right, while WBR drew 19.1 percent and Pointe Coupee had 18.3 percent.

The initiative is expected to generate between $5 million and $7 million in revenue, according to Clayton.

Most of the tax revenue will come from “big ticket” items purchased by the petrochemical industry in Iberville Parish, Clayton said.

It also includes:

• A tracking division to monitor gang activity in the three-parish area.
• A Tri-Parish Intelligence Center in which law enforcement and the DA’s office coordinate investigation activities.
• A tri-parish task force and a prosecutor in each parish to intervene during times of trouble. It would include working with school systems on truancy, along with re-directing and educating juveniles.

Assistance to programs that help juveniles and families, such as:

• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) – Advocates for timely placement of children to permanent, safe, stable homes.
• Families in Need of Services (FINS) – Helps troubled youth and their families remedy self-destructive family and pre-delinquent juvenile behaviors.
• Truancy programs to keep children in school.
• Conflict resolution programs to teach children how to resolve conflicts without violence and guns.

The law enforcement initiative also would fund the DA’s office and technology upgrades, among other issues.

The collection is set to begin July 1.

It goes on the books one day after expiration of a .45-cent sales enacted during the administration of then-Gov. John Bel Edwards, as a measure to reduce the $900 million deficit he inherited from predecessor Bobby Jindal.

OTHER RACES

St. Gabriel City Council: Randall Johnson defeated interim council member Okedria Smith to fill a vacant seat.

Johnson drew 470 votes (53 percent) against Smith’s 409 (47 percent). He will serve the remainder of term that began in July 2023.

Turnout was 28.8 percent.

Smith was appointed to the seat in August 2023, one month after council member Kelvin York resigned. A special election was called to seek an officeholder for the remainder of York’s term.

York vacated his seat in July due to personal reasons.

Fire Districts: Ten-year millage renewals passed resoundingly in Iberville Parish Fire District 1 and 2.

In District 1, the proposal passed with 669 votes (75 percent). A total of 224 voters opposed.

Turnout was 23 percent.

The District 2 proposal also passed by a resounding margin. A total of 185 votes (86 percent) secured victory for the renewal, while 30 voters opposed.

Turnout was 28.5 percent.