5-9-17
DISCUSSIONS ARE UNDERWAY TO BRING BACK TWO PROPERTY TAX RENEWALS BEFORE LAFAYETTE PARISH VOTERS IN NOVEMBER. ON APRIL 29TH, VOTERS REJECTED A RENEWAL OF THE 2-POINT-3-4 MILL PROPERTY TAX FOR THE PARISH COURTHOUSE COMPLEX AND THE 2-POINT-ZERO-6 MILL PROPERTY TAX FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PARISH JAIL. CITY PARISH MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX SAYS THE LOSS OF THOSE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES PUTS THEM IN A DIRE PREDICAMENT. HE TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT WITHOUT THOSE PROPERTY TAXES, IT WILL BE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES PEOPLE WANT FROM GOVERNMENT.
WESTLAKE POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR A MAN THEY BELIEVE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SHOOTING TWO MEN AT PINDEROSA PARK SUNDAY EVENING. POLICE CHIEF CHRIS WILRYE SAYS 41-YEAR-OLD STEPHEN M. GUYNES IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS. ONE OF THE MEN, WHO WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST, WAS TAKEN TO A LAFAYETTE HOSPITAL, WHERE HE IS NOW OUT OF I-C-U, WHILE THE OTHER VICTIM WAS TREATED AND RELEASED AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE LOCATION OF GUYNES IS ASKED TO CALL THE WESTLAKE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
A CROWLEY TEENAGER HAS BEEN ARRESTED AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY MADE A THREAT TO BOMB ACADIANA HIGH. ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF K-P GIBSON SAYS 17-YEAR-OLD JUNIUS HAYES TOLD ANOTHER PERSON ON THE CAMPUS AT THE SCHOOL THAT HE WAS GOING TO BOMB IT. THE SCOTT POLICE DEPARTMENT BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION WHICH LED THEM TO HAYES, A FORMER STUDENT AT ACADIANA HIGH. HE WAS BOOKED INTO THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL ON ONE COUNT OF TERRORIZING.
The Louisiana Department of Revenue reminds taxpayers that next Monday is the deadline for filing individual income tax returns for 2016. A news release notes May 15 is also the deadline for requesting an extension. Those allow more time to file tax returns, but payments after May 15 remain subject to penalties and interest.
NINETY LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL COMPANIES ARE TAKING PART IN TODAY’S LEDA JOB FAIR AT THE CAJUNDOME FROM NINE TO TWO. LEDA PRESIDENT AND C-E-O GREGG GOTHREAUX SAYS THE COMPANIES ARE OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF JOBS, FROM THOSE THAT NEED LITTLE TRAINING TO THOSE THAT REQUIRE ADVANCED DEGREES. A RECORD NUMBER OF JOB SEEKERS ATTENDED LAST YEAR’S JOB FAIR. GOTHREAUX TELLS THE ADVERTISER THIS YEAR’S FAIR IS VERY IMPORTANT WITH THE NUMBER OF JOB LOSSES CAUSED BY THE DOWNTOWN IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY.
FIFTEEN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WHO WERE WORKING AT AN L-N-G PLANT UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN CAMERON PARISH, WERE ARRESTED LAST WEEK. THE 15 GOT NAMES, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS AND MATCHING BIRTH CERTIFICATES ISSUED OUT OF PUERTO RICO. THE U-S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE IN EASTERN TEXAS SAYS THEY USED THOSE DOCUMENTS TO PASS THE E-VERIFY SYSTEM USED BY EMPLOYERS TO MAKE SURE A PERSON IS A U-S CITIZEN. THE FIFTEEN WERE INDICTED BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY ON CHARGES OF IDENTITY THEFT, USING SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS OF ACTUAL CITIZENS, AND MAKING FALSE CLAIMS OF U-S CITIZENSHIP IN ORDER TO GET JOBS AT THE FACILITY.
ACADIANA NOW HAS ITS FIRST 100 PERCENT ELECTRIC TAXI CAB SERVICE. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Louisiana’s legislative session is reaching its midpoint with no clear direction on what approach lawmakers will take on rewriting state tax laws, if they can reach agreement at all. The two-month session hits the halfway mark Tuesday. It must end by June 8. Gov. John Bel Edwards’ main revenue-raising proposal, to charge a new tax on businesses’ gross receipts, failed to gain any traction. On Monday, the House Ways and Means Committee started advancing a long list of tax measures to the full House for consideration, while negotiations continue.
