By 19 votes, Lafourche Parish voters rejected a one-cent sales tax increase today that would have boosted school worker salaries.
The parish's voters approved a proposal that allows the School Board to sell $80 million worth of bonds for school construction. The board will use a portion of property tax money it already collects to pay the debt over 20 years.
Meanwhile, two Democrats will compete in a May 27 runoff for a state Senate seat in a multi-parish district that includes parts of northern Lafourche as well as Assumption. Warren Harang III of Donaldsonville and Ed Price of Gonzales emerged as the top finishers Saturday among 13 candidates.
And in Dularge, voters renewed a 23-mill property tax that supports the community's volunteer fire department. The vote was 107 (79 percent) to 28 (21 percent). About 6.5 percent of the fire district's 2,082 voters cast ballots. It was the only election in Terrebonne Parish.
Here is a rundown of Saturday's results, with all precincts reporting:
Lafourche schools
On the sales tax, the vote was 7,712 (50 percent) against to 7,693 (50 percent) in favor. About 26.4 percent of the parish's 58,442 voters cast ballots on the tax proposal.
Proponents said the tax would help the parish's teacher salaries compete with Terrebonne's and other surrounding parishes. Opponents, including the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, said sales taxes are already too high in the parish and claimed the increase would hurt business.
On the bond issue, the vote was 9,454 (67 percent) for to 5,888 (38 percent) against. About 26.3 percent of the parish's voters cast ballots on the measure.
Senate race
Harang finished first Saturday with 3,985 votes (27 percent). Price finished second with 3,282 votes (22 percent).
Here is how the other candidates fared: Elton Aubert, D-Vacherie, 2,206 votes (15 percent); Wayne Brigalia, R-Sunshine, 1,051 votes (7 percent); Ali Burl III, 955 votes (6 percent); Patrick "Lawman" Lawless, D-Belle Rose. 698 votes (5 percent); Edmond Jordan, D-Brusly, 675 votes (5 percent); Jerry Jones, D-Thibodaux, 639 votes (4 percent); Jamie Roussel, D-Airy, 489 votes (3 percent); Shannon Comery Sr., D-Donaldsonville, 435 votes (3 percent); Tommy Lyons, no party, Thibodaux, 374 votes (3 percent); Chris Delpit, D-Gonzales, 84 votes (1 percent); Willie Massey-Farve, no party, Geismar, 54 votes, (less than 1 percent).
About 20.5 percent of the district's 72,872 voters cast ballots.
Senate District 2, created in 2011 as a majority-black voting district, had been represented by Troy Brown, D-Napoleonville, since 2012. Brown resigned in February, rather than face expulsion by the Senate, after pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges related to two incidents involving violence against women.
