City Tax Renewal 5 years Advance?

The Ellis administration is attempting to get the lame-duck Monroe City Council to pass a tax renewal before new council members are seated on July 1, 2024. At Tuesday night's, May 28, 2024 council meeting, an ordinance sponsored by the Ellis administration was introduced to call for a special election to authorize the rededication, levy, and collection of a special tax, applying to the Louisiana State Bond Commission.

The introduction of the ordinance appeared to come as a surprise to those in attendance, prompting questions from concerned citizens. The one-cent tax is said to be used to "complete" projects, which is why the city "wants to borrow" money even though the present tax will not expire until 2029, according to those with knowledge of the current tax. Some at the council meeting believed that the present council may be moving too fast, considering there are only two more meetings left in the current administration.

There were also concerns about the importance of the ordinance, questioning why Mayor Ellis was not present at the meeting to promote it. Though council members gave approval for the ordinance's introduction, many believe that some in City Hall may be trying to "pull a fast one" because they believe they have the votes to pass it before a new city council takes shape. There may be plenty of opposition to the tax and how it is being presented at the next scheduled council meeting.