Council chairman apologizes for tone, not content

St. Landry Parish Council Chairman Harold Taylor opened committee meetings Wednesday with a statement about the July 20 meeting where he reacted to rejection of a move to define the authority of the Road District 1 Commission.
Road District 1 is the official entity of the Smooth Ride Home Program. Its members are the same as the Parish Council.
“I got a little emotional and I apologize to the people of the parish for that,” Taylor said, “We all have our moments and weaknesses, however, I do not apologize for the delivery of the message, which is we all have an obligation to do the will of the people of the parish and we have a responsibility to know what our duties are. And for that, I also take responsibility for not explaining better, particularly to the new members, the content of my question. But I will do a better job in the future putting that together in speaking to the new members and the old members who have been here for sometime. I regret my delivery was something to be desired.”
Much of the Parish Council’s committee meeting time was spent clearing up issues from the July Council meeting.
A letter from bond attorney Eric LaFleur outlined the authority of the commission members and the parish president.
Taylor pointed out after the meeting that the letter included Home Rule Charter elements.
One of which states, “Capital improvement projects and other major expenditures of those district funds shall require prior approval of the parish council.”
Taylor questioned at the July meeting whether the commission member were “window dressing” without any oversight of project selection.
Another remanent item clarified that the St. Landry Parish Tourism Commission does not give money to St. Landry Economic Development.
Celeste Gomez, St. Landry Parish Tourism Commission executive director, explained the parish tourism operation is funded primarily through a 4 percent hotel-motel tax and a 1.97 percent share of the 5 percent state sales tax collected in the parish.
The local sales tax annually generates about $400,000 and the state tax provides $190,000.
Gomez said Parish Government collects the hotel-motel tax, but the commission is requesting the sales tax collection office at the School Board office begin the collection.
The change would mean businesses would be able to electronically file their taxes, she said.
Taylor said state law stipulates there should be one sales tax collection agency in a parish.
“We are probably violating the law by collecting your sales tax,” Taylor said.
The Finance Committee voted to request the chairman of the parish sales tax commission and staff members attend the September committee meeting.
There was no action on division of racino revenues, but the issue was left open.
Jerry Red, chairman of the Administrative-Finance committee, wants the Parish Council to consider using some racino funds to create an emergency fund.
“We don’t want them to think we are taking their funds just to take it, but it would be to help whoever is in the parish,” Red said of fund to cover disasters.
Wayne Ardoin, an Opelousas Council member, said of the racino split, “I would love to reformulate it.”
The money, which is from Evangeline Down Racetrack and Casino, is split as follows:
— Parish government, 55 percent;
— St. Landry Parish Airport, 1.5 percent;
— Coroner, 1.5 percent;
— Economic development, 5 percent;
— District attorney, 3.5 percent;
— Registrar of voters, 1.5 percent;
— Opelousas City Police Department, 6 percent;
— St. Landry Parish Municipal Association, 21 percent;
— St. Landry Parish Judicial System, 2 percent;
— St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court, 1.5 percent; and
— St. Landry Parish Assessor’s Office, 1.5 percent.
The parish receives about $3 million from Evangeline Downs and takes about 4 percent for an administrative fee. The remainder is to be divided as set out by the ordinance.