W. Feliciana to vote on several propositions

ST. FRANCISVILLE — West Feliciana Parish voters will see a variety of local propositions on their ballots Nov. 6, in addition to presidential candidates and proposed state constitutional amendments.

Early voting for the election will be from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Oct. 30, except for Oct. 28, at the West Feliciana Parish Registrar of Voters Office, 5932 Commerce St., St. Francisville.

Voters in St. Francisville will have five local propositions on their ballots, and those living outside of town will have seven.

The Greater St. Francisville Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring an informational meeting on the constitutional amendments and ballot propositions at 6 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in St. Francisville, at the corner of La. 10 and U.S. 61. The public is invited to attend.

Parishwide propositions include deciding whether to replace the police jury system of parish government with a new parish council and president form of government.

All voters also may vote on the question of whether to limit West Feliciana Parish School Board members to three consecutive four-year terms in office.

The proposition is labeled as a “local option election,” but the Legislature, at the urging of Gov. Bobby Jindal, required school boards statewide to submit the question to voters.

The West Feliciana Parish Police Jury also is asking voters to renew, for five years, a 1-mill property tax dedicated to economic development efforts in the parish.

Voters in all precincts will have an opportunity to decide whether to double the state’s homestead exemption for 100 percent disabled veterans and their spouses.

Louisiana homeowners are exempt from paying property taxes on the first $75,000 of the assessed value of an owner-occupied home, but the proposition, if approved, would raise it to $150,000 for eligible veterans.

A constitutional amendment also on the Nov. 6 ballot would extend the extra exemption to the spouses of deceased veterans who had 100 percent, service-connected disabilities.

The West Feliciana Parish Hospital Board of Commissioners has two half-cent sales tax proposals on the ballot, one for the entire parish and a second one applying to only the unincorporated areas.

The sales taxes already are in effect, but the measures, if approved, would extend the taxes for seven years and allow the hospital board to apply them toward the repayment of construction bonds if the board decides to build a new hospital.