Billion dollar public works initiatives proposed by Holden
Below is an article giving some details of Holden's tax proposal and some of the projects he wants to complete. A detailed presentation will be given next week. This is HUGE for Baton Rouge and I cant wait to see the renderings.
Holden proposes the possible future of Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - As qualifying for the October elections began Wednesday, Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden touched on what could be the largest single infrastructure improvement initiative the city has ever attempted. In a 9NEWS EXCLUSIVE, we have a sneak peek at a nearly one billion dollar tax proposal Mayor Holden will offer to the people of East Baton Rouge in November.
Sources close to the parish-wide tax proposition say the mayor's initiative will impact the people of East Baton Rouge like never before. On the table will be a half-cent sales tax, coupled with a 9.9 mill property tax. 9NEWS has learned that a large portion of that money will help fund a "world class" project that will change the downtown skyline forever.
Mayor Holden wants to expand the River Center and attach a 350-room hotel complex run by a major chain. When it comes to your safety, the mayor also has plans for that. A new public safety complex for the police department and sheriff's office and new fire stations are planned as well. A new parish prison is also part of the plan, paid for with bond money. "We will be having some meetings in reference to the bond issue. Simply because I firmly believe you have to be honest with the voters and therefore, tell them that there have been problems that we need to address for decades, in regards to drainage and a number of other issues," Holden says.
9NEWS has also learned that major flood protection relief will be planned for the city of Central and eastern portions of the parish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to chip in millions to help. Parish-wide red light synchronization is also on the table. "That we have to take care of those or else we might find ourselves like some other cities; watching the infrastructure actually collapse underneath vehicles," the mayor/president says. The parish council will get a look at the proposal during a series of meetings next week.
You'll be hearing a lot more about these projects next week. Monday, expect an announcement about the hotel. The riverfront project should be unveiled on Tuesday. Wednesday, the metro council and the public will be shown the entire plan. WAFB will air these meetings LIVE on Cable Channel 9 and stream on
www.wafb.com. If Mayor Holden is re-elected and passes the bond issue, a person owning a $200,000 home would pay close to $10.30 a month extra in taxes.