Letters: Two issues need investigating

I believe there are two major local issues in Baton Rouge that need immediate attention by the local government and/or the state government.

One issue is the Capital Area Transit System property tax that was recently approved in Baton Rouge. The tax was advertised to voters as being a municipal tax that would exclude the homestead exemption. Then, after the election was held, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office released an opinion that indicated the tax is not a municipal tax and that the homestead exemption should apply.

Previous CATS taxes that were voted on did include the homestead exemption, and both of those actually failed. I think voters were sold a pig in a poke in this tax election. For that reason, I believe our government should take the responsibility of declaring the entire tax election null and void. The CATS bus system can always have another tax election in which voters could actually go to the polls with all of the correct facts.

The second issue is the local sanitary sewer overflow project. This project has gone from being an estimated $678 million project to a $1.5 billion project. There are several questions about the design and costs of this project that need to be answered:

First, exactly why is the Central Treatment Plant going to be eliminated?

Second, why does this project continue to get more and more expensive?

Third, why is so much of this project being bonded out, especially in the last few years? Moody’s Investors Service actually downgraded some of the bonds in July.

In addition, there was a recent article about derivatives and interest-rate swaps in The New York Times titled “How Banks Could Return the Favor.” The article actually mentions Baton Rouge and the swap-related debt it apparently now has.

Also a study by the Refund Transit Coalition titled “Riding the Gravy Train” was mentioned in that NY Times article. There is an entire section about Baton Rouge in the study, and the study mentions toxic bond swaps and also the CATS tax. What is the solution to all of these issues with the sewerage project? I believe an independent outside group needs to investigate the engineering and the financing of the entire SSO sewer project.

I think our local government has a lot of explaining to do. I believe more taxpayers need to contact their government representative(s) about these two issues. If you just sit on the sidelines and watch the world go by, nothing will ever change.

phillip lillard

telecom consultant

Baton Rouge

Comments

1) Comment by Tea_Slayer - 12/07/2012

DMJ, as soon as i read it, I suspected phil was the author. Then I read the signature line. Actually, I wonder how he failed to mention his other pet topic, creationism. I am sure he could have woven it into his story somehow.

2) Comment by Straight Shooter - 12/07/2012

While not trying to insult the author of the letter for writing an opinion piece, I'm not sure what is the point about writing to the editor of a paper. Why not address these issues directly with elected officials, their staff or the appropriate agency? It comes across as: "Hey, look at me. I can cite some opinion pieces to fill up space in a letter to someone who has no control over the issues." If you want to produce results, go to the root of the problem.

3) Comment by tradewinns - 12/07/2012

never overlook the fact that the CATS tax was voted in on the third round, the CATS tax can be voted OUT the same way. all we need is a few angry overtaxed homeowners.

4) Comment by phil - 12/07/2012

DMJ: It sounds like you must personally know Phillip, and he is your buddy, so please thank him personally for me for writing this letter. Being_Stupid I agree there are also other local issues to tackle.

5) Comment by DMJ - 12/07/2012

Hey, phil got a letter printed!! Glad to see you get some ink for the two issues you never stop bringing up. Way to go, buddy!

6) Comment by Being_Stupid - 12/07/2012

THIRD ISSUE THAT NEEDS INVESTIGATING: Why are "Crime Prevention" Municipal Taxing Districts also not Homestead Exempt? Why are some Municipal Taxing Districts passed by Non-Municipalities / Self-Appointed Neighborhood Property Collectives & RINO State Legislators considered NOT Homestead Exempt by the Republican Attorney General Buddy Caldwell and Tax Assessor Brian Wilson, while CATs Municipal Taxing Districts passed by Non-Municipality Blue Ribbon Commissars & Democrat Socialists considered homestead exempt?? Seems like a double standard to homestead exempt certain Municipal Taxing Districts passed by Non Municipalities and not exempt others. ALL THESE MUNICIPAL TAXING DISTRICT WHETHER IT IS FOR CATS or "CRIME PREVENTION" SHOULD BE DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY THE COURTS AND A VIOLATION OF INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. Property is being stolen from the Individual by the Strong Arm of Government and given to the Non-Municipality Collectives to impose unlimited taxes and membership dues. ALL THE CURRENT TRIAL LAWYER RINO LAW MAKERS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE (Dan Claitor, Steve Carter, Franklin Foil, Hunter Greene) NEED TO BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE.

7) Comment by [e-mail] - 12/07/2012

Good questions, Mr. Lilliard, and nobody in government wants to answer them. The CATS tax was indeed a pig in the poke, and it was all about giving them more money, not giving the people more service as it was portrayed.