Berwick seeks renewal of property tax

BERWICK — The Town Council is asking voters to keep a 6-mill property tax in effect.
The council approved a resolution to put the renewal on the May 9 ballot. The tax is due to expire in 2021.
“We use these funds for just about everything: for law enforcement, fire, streets, drainage, water, and we certainly would appreciate the town in supporting this renewal of this tax,” Mayor Duval Arthur said at the council meeting Tuesday.
Berwick council members questioned Allen McElroy Jr., Berwick’s legal counsel, for more information on the tax.
“It will be up to the people whether or not the 6 mills will or will not be renewed, and that comes up in the May election. This tax pretty much covers everything, and without it I don’t know how the town would be able to pay for all of the services that it has,” McElroy said.
“I think what you need to let the people know is it is not a new tax, it is not an additional amount that they will be paying, it is simply a renewal of what was passed almost 20 years ago and if it is voted in now it will be good for another 20 years,” McElroy said.
The 6 mill tax generates approximately $250,000 per year in revenue for the town of Berwick, McElroy said.
One mill equals 1/1,000th of $1, or $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed valuation. Residential property is assessed on 10% of its market value.
The 6-mill tax adds $60 to the property tax bill for a home with a market value of $100,000. Louisiana’s homestead exemption generally does not apply to property taxes levied by municipalities.
The May election will see other tax propositions on the ballot as well.
Morgan City will have a property tax renewal for the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. And the St. Mary Parish School Board will ask all parish voters for a new half-cent sales tax to increase the teacher and staff salaries.