After criticism, a state law violation and a purported ongoing investigation, a disputed Caddo Parish Schools tax proposal passed by almost 1,600 votes.

The Caddo Parish School district requested to use .6 mills of a current millage for heating and air conditioning upgrades in schools and on buses. The money will also be used to renovate schools to a one-point of entry design for security purposes. The proposal doesn't increase the millage rate, but re-purposes tax dollars. The proposal will re-purpose $88.3 million tax dollars for the upgrades.

“Since we first began discussing this millage, it has been centrally focused on the needs of our students from comfortable and safe learning environments to a functioning bus fleet,” Lamar Goree, superintendent of Caddo Schools, said in a statement. “We thank the voters of Caddo Parish for recognizing that need and allowing our district the opportunity to now get to work in updating and improving schools and buses throughout our parish.”

At a March press conference, Caddo Parish Schools Director of Communications Mary Nash-Wood said heating and AC units in schools haven’t been updated since 2004 and the District has spent over $20 million in repairs over the past three years. The Times reported the district would also use the money to purchase 250 school buses and upgrade surveillance systems.

Before the election, early voters complained the language on the ballot didn't match promotional material from Caddo Parish Schools. Before the election, other voters said a special election was held to leave voters out because less people show up to elections that aren't on the general ballot in the fall. The unofficial turn out at the polls Saturday was 7 percent with around 12,500 votes.

An internal e-mail leaked Thursday showed a Caddo Parish Schools secretary urged cafeteria managers to vote yes for the proposal, which is a violation of state law. Two spokespeople from the Louisiana Secretary of State confirmed an investigation into the incident by the Election Compliance Unit Friday.

Voters approved the proposal by a margin of 56 percent (7,037) to 44 percent (5,422).

Said Caddo Parish School Board President Mary Trammel: “I join my fellow board members in celebrating the positive results of tonight’s election and thanking our voting public for supporting our students, teachers and staff through the approval of this portion of a millage. Tonight’s results come as we continue to increase opportunities for children, and we are excited for the future of this district as we strive for excellence.”

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