East Baton Rouge Bond Plan Not Dead Yet, Mayor Says

DALLAS — A proposed $748 million capital improvement proposal for East Baton Rouge Parish, La., will proceed despite the refusal by a majority of parish commissioners to consider the plan, Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden said Thursday.

“I will not reveal my plan, I will not reveal my strategy,” Holden said. “I will move forward and still take the case to the people.”

The Metropolitan Council voted last week to quash Holden’s request for a Nov. 19 election on his plan to raise sales and property taxes to support the plan, which would be financed in part with $716 million of general obligation bonds.

The election must be set by the council by Aug. 15 to meet the deadline for a November election. Holden could put the election resolution on the agenda, or call a special meeting to consider the bond plan.

Holden blamed a faction in the council for not allowing the plan to be outlined at an open session.

“Several council members had obviously gotten together and decided to not let this go to the discussion stage,” the mayor said. “When you take away freedom of speech and allowing [people] to express their opinions, it’s quite oppressive.”

Councilor Mike Walker, who voted with the majority, said it was unlikely that the nine opponents on the council would reverse their vote.

“I don’t see why they would change their minds,” Walker said. “It was ill-conceived, hastily constructed, and not worthy of being put on the ballot.”

Walker held out little hope of reaching an agreement with Holden on a less-expensive capital program.

“You can’t compromise with an individual who won’t talk with you,” he said. “[Holden] has said on more than one occasion that he has no desire to talk with the council on this matter.”

Holden said he did not intend to persuade his opponents of the capital improvement plan’s value.

“There is no reason to negotiate,” he said. “This is the same bond issue and I’ve made that very clear.”

“Unless they have the shared vision, as it is right now, Baton Rouge’s progress will be very slow,” the mayor-president added.

Councilor Donna Collins-Lewis said she voted against Holden’s plan because it was submitted too late to allow the Metropolitan Council to properly consider all its aspects.

“If people call me and I can’t answer their questions, if I haven’t had time to properly vet it, then I can’t support it,” she said.

The election would be Holden’s third attempt to pass a bond referendum that would finance drainage, street and bridge projects in the parish, which includes Baton Rouge.

Parish voters rejected a $989 million bond proposal in November by only 3,000 votes from a total of 178,000 ballots cast. A similar $901 million program was decisively defeated in November 2009 by 65%.

Both defeated proposals included a $250 million environmental education complex along the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge.

The park is not included in Holden’s latest plan.

Three councilors met Thursday with parish sheriff Sid Gautreaux and district attorney Hillar Moore 3d to discuss a possible April 2012 election on a tax that would support public safety efforts.

Holden’s plan included funding for a new parish prison and a combined headquarters for public safety agencies.

Moore had asked Holden to include $10 million in the bond package to deal with a budget shortfall in the district attorney’s office resulting from expiration of state and federal grants.

Holden refused, saying it would be inappropriate to fund operational expenses with debt proceeds.

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Louisiana
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