As the St. Bernard Parish Council considers removing a ballot issue concerning apartment complexes greater than six units, two other important ballot issues remain scheduled for the November 14, 2009 election. In an effort to discuss one of the issues still on the ballot, the proposed $20 per month fee, St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro, Jr. will host a Town Hall meeting on the parish's AM radio station, 1680 AM. The Town Hall meeting will be held Wednesday, November 4 from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m., and President Taffaro is planning to take calls from citizens to answer questions about the fee by calling in to 278-4227 during the broadcast.

The two remaining items address a Home Rule Charter change that allows council members to serve on boards and commissions without compensation. This item will clarify language in the Home Rule Charter that did not address the membership of council members on boards and commissions that are separate political subdivisions of the state. At the time the Home Rule Charter was implemented in 1992, there were no such boards or commissions. Currently, the St. Bernard Parish Housing, Redevelopment, and Quality of Life Commission and the Hospital Service District are two boards that fall into the need for clarification in the Home Rule Charter. If the proposed change passes, council members would be allowed to serve on boards such as the HRQL and the HSD without compensation. Should the measure fail, the membership of council members on state authorized boards and commissions would be in jeopardy.

The other issue scheduled on the November 14, 2009 ballot is the proposition of a $20 per month fee for six years. The proposed fee would be split with $10 per month being dedicated to fire protection and $10 per month being dedicated to sanitation services. The fee is being proposed as a means to assist in paying for services within St. Bernard Parish Government that are usually covered by sales tax revenues from the parish's general fund. The proposed fee will generate approximately $3.5 million a year. The costs of sanitation and fire protection are approximately $10.5 million a year. The parish already dedicates $1.7 million in property taxes to fire protection and $800,000 in property taxes to sanitation. That means the parish must use sales tax revenue to make up the majority of the shortfall for fire protection service and sanitation service.

Should the fee pass, fees would be imposed on water bills for a period of six years and services to parish residents would continue. Should the fee fail, services in fire stations, sanitation, recreation, public works, resident services, and community development all will be impaired. Specific cuts to the 2010 budget will be discussed in detail should the proposed fee not pass but will likely include a decrease in garbage collection, a decrease in non-fee recreational services, employee cuts, a decrease in complaint call responses, a cut in non-emergency repairs and services like grass cutting and sidewalk and curb repair work.

An example of how the proposed fee would impact the budget is similar to a household budget in which a resident who has to pay tuition each month. So a portion of the money the resident makes each month is dedicated to paying the tuition. If the tuition is $500 dollars each month and the resident earns $1,500 per month the resident is left with $1,000 each month to spend on other monthly household obligations. If the resident were to receive a scholarship of $250 each month, she would now have $1,250 dollars per month to spend on other household obligations instead of only $1,000 dollars. If the student didn't receive a scholarship and the tuition went up, there would be less money to spend on other household obligations. The same is true for parish government. If the proposed fee passes, then parish government has the opportunity to maintain services in all areas. If the fee does not pass, the parish government will have less money to spend on the services outside of fire and sanitation and even those are likely to be in jeopardy.

Some basic facts to this proposed fee include:

• The fee is $20 per month for six years only.
• The fee cannot be extended by the council or the administration.
• The fee is dedicated to fire protection and sanitation service.
• The $20 per month fee is proposed to be waived for senior citizens.

Without the fee, services like fire personnel, sanitation, grass cutting, complaint responses, demolition, code enforcement, and even recreation will likely be cut.

Residents are encouraged to tune in to 1680 AM on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 7 p.m. or to contact the parish administration for additional information about the proposed fee.