SOURCE: Secretary of State's Office

Mid-City Security District Proposition

Shall the City of New Orleans renew the levy of the Mid-City Security District ("District") annual parcel fee in the District, bounded by: Tulane Avenue (both sides), Interstate 10 (interior side), City Park Avenue (interior side), West Moss Street (interior side), Orleans Avenue (both sides), and North and South Broad Streets (both sides), in an amount not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per year for each improved residential parcel, and not to exceed three hundred seventy-five dollars ($375) per year for each improved commercial parcel, and impose the levy of a parcel fee not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per year for each improved residential parcel subject to a special assessment level pursuant to Louisiana Constitution Article VII, Section 18(G), for five (5) years, commencing on January 1, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2024, which fees are estimated to generate approximately one million, thirty thousand dollars ($1,030,000) annually, to be used solely and exclusively to promote and encourage the security of the District, which additional security shall be supplemental to and not in lieu of personnel and services provided in the District by the City, the State or other political subdivisions?

LWVNO EXPLANATION: 

FOR:Would renew the levy for security at up to $250 per year for homeowners until 2014.

AGAINST:Security fee and security would expire on January 1, 2020.  

Parishwide Proposition
(Bond)

Shall the City of New Orleans, Louisiana (the "City"), incur debt and issue up to $500,000,000 of bonds, in multiple series, each series to run not exceeding thirty (30) years from the date thereof and bearing interest at a rate not exceeding eight percent (8.00%) per annum, for the purpose of making capital improvements in the City permitted by the City's Home Rule Charter, including constructing, renovating, acquiring, and/or improving (i) roads, streets and bridges; (ii) public buildings, affordable housing facilities, libraries, and parks and recreational facilities; (iii) surface and subsurface drainage systems and stormwater management facilities; and (iv) public safety equipment, including acquiring all necessary land, equipment and furnishings for each of the foregoing, which bonds will be general obligations of the City, payable from ad valorem taxes to be levied and collected in the manner provided by Article VI, Section 33 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974 and statutory authority supplemental thereto, with no estimated increase in the millage rate to be levied in the first year above the 22.5 mills currently being levied to pay General Obligation Bonds of the City?

LWVNO EXPLANATION:

FOR:Would create bonds for the purpose of capital improvements such as roads, bridges, housing, parks, public buildings, drainage and stormwater management.

AGAINST:Bonds would not be created. 

Parishwide Proposition
(Millage)

Shall the City of New Orleans, Louisiana (the "City") be authorized to levy a special tax of 3.00 mills on all property subject to taxation in the City ("Tax") for a period of twenty years, beginning January 1, 2020 and ending December 31, 2039 ($10,250,000 currently estimated to be collected from the Tax for an entire year), with the proceeds to be dedicated solely to public infrastructure in the City and to be used for the purposes of repairing, improving, maintaining and operating (i) roads, streets, and bridges, (ii) surface and subsurface drainage systems and stormwater management facilities, and (iii) public buildings and public safety facilities of the City, including purchasing related equipment and vehicles for any of the foregoing, provided that a portion of the monies collected shall be remitted to certain state and statewide retirement systems in the manner required by law?

LWVNO EXPLANATION:

FOR:Authorizes the City to levy 3.00 mills of property tax for twenty years for the sole purpose of funding public infrastructure including roads, bridges, drainage, stormwater management, public buildings and public safety facilities.

AGAINST:Tax would not be levied.

Parishwide Home Rule Charter Amendment Proposition

Shall Article V of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans be amended to add Sections 5-1101 through 5-1103 thereto to create a local Human Rights Commission to safeguard all individuals in the City of New Orleans from discrimination and to exercise all powers, duties, and functions provided by applicable state and municipal law?

LWVNO EXPLANATION:

FOR:Residents will have the opportunity to add a Human Rights Commission to the City Charter. Allowed by Louisiana State Law, a commission would provide a single place for New Orleanians to file a discrimination complaint for free. A charter-recognized commission would have the power to investigate, draft a finding and send to Civil District Court for enforcement if a violation was found.

AGAINST:The current situation will remain. If a New Orleanian has experienced discrimination their options are to file an expensive lawsuit on their own or naviagate the complex patchwork of federal and state enforcement bodies.

 Parishwide Proposition

(Short Term Rentals Occupancy Tax)

Shall the City of New Orleans (the "City"), under provisions of Article VI, Section 30 of the Louisiana Constitution and other applicable constitutional and statutory authority, be authorized to levy and collect in perpetuity, beginning January 1, 2020, on short term rentals of overnight lodging in the City an occupancy tax (the "Tax") in an amount not to exceed six and three-quarters percent (6 3/4%) of the rent or fee charged for such occupancy, with approximately $10,500,000 estimated to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year if it is levied at the 6 3/4% maximum, and with the proceeds of such Tax, except for a reasonable collection fee, if any, to be distributed as follows: seventy-five percent (75%) shall be dedicated to the infrastructure fund of the City created pursuant to Ordinance No. 27,986, M.C.S., and twenty-five percent (25%) shall be allocated, pursuant to a multi-year cooperative endeavor agreement approved by the City Council, to New Orleans & Company to be used to promote tourism in the City?

LWVNO EXPLANATION:

FOR:Levy and collect money (occupancy tax) on short term rentals of overnight lodging.

AGAINST:City is not authorized to collect the tax.