Residents in West Monroe to vote on a new property tax this Saturday

WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD)

On April 27th, residents in West Monroe will vote on an increase in property tax. The purpose of this property tax is in paying for capital expenditures specific to funding the West Monroe police, fire, and public works departments.

This tax will add around $70 to homeowners with properties that value $150,000 and then around $140 to homeowners with properties that value $250,000. This would generate about $831,000 annually, that would be distributed to those departments.

For the West Monroe Police Department, this would help put funds for body cameras and tasers. This would help towards safer encounters between citizens and police officers.

From a police department standpoint because it’s going to help us with funding body cameras and also tasers. You put those two together, then you have a taser and also a body camera it kind of tells the picture, tells a story and so the main thing is safety.

Captain CJ Beck | West Monroe Police Department

For the West Monroe Fire Department, this would head towards all the necessary equipment that the fire department needs to use. Fire Chief Charlie Simmons said this could be a new firetruck which can cost over $900,000 or SCBA gear which can cost around $10,000. All these are necessary for saving lives and keeping Firemen and women safe.

This Fire Department is in the top 1 percent, and in order to do that, that’s training, that’s men, and its equipment. We have to have the equipment, unfortunately, the equipment we use is very expensive.

Fire Chief Charlie Simmons | West Monroe Fire Department

For the Public Works Department, it would help to maintain the infrastructure within the city. This can include drainage, garbage pickup, storm removal, sidewalk and pothole repair. Funds could help not only keep, but improve the infrastructure.

The Mayor of West Monroe and City Officials have done a great job in promoting the good in this proposition and have heard nothing but positivity about the proposition. Even with this increase Captain CJ Beck says that West Monroe will still have the lowest property tax in the Ouachita Parish.

It’s going straight to public safety and public works, that’s there’s no question about it, that’s what actually impacts the citizens. We haven’t heard anything opposition and it’s been advertised for months now.

Captain CJ Beck | West Monroe Police Department

All the departments want to encourage residents of West Monroe to go out and vote yes on this proposition on Saturday, so that the safety of the residents and the Officers of all the departments is maintained and improved.

We just encourage everyone in the City of West Monroe to go out Saturday, April 27th, and vote yes. Vote yes for this, so we can continue giving the great service that we do.

Fire Chief Charlie Simmons | West Monroe Fire Department

If you want to read more about the proposition you can head on over to City of West Monroe’s website here.