Vote is today on Lafayette city, parish tax renewals

Voter turnout is expected to be light Saturday with only four property tax renewals on the ballot in the city and parish of Lafayette.

"If past elections are an indication, we should have a turnout of under 15 percent," Clerk of Court Louis Perret said Friday. "I hope to be wrong."

The pleasant weather, Festival International de Louisiane, plus the lack of any candidates on the ballot may lead to low voter turnout, he said.

RELATED: A new PAC formed last week spent $21,500 to kill the library renewal

Early voting, often an indicator of voter turnout, was very light, Perret said, with only about 800 votes cast.

If you live anywhere in Lafayette Parish, unincorporated areas or any municipality, including the city of Lafayette, you'll be voting on the renewal of two existing property taxes:

For public library maintenance, operations and improvements, a 1.61-mill property tax that generates more than $3.6 million a year.

For juvenile detention facilities, a 1.17-mill property tax that generates more than $2.6 million a year.

If you live in the city of Lafayette, you'll be voting on the two renewals above plus:

For street and road maintenance, a 1.29-mill tax that generates about $2 million a year.

For recreation and playgrounds maintenance and operations, a 1.92-mill tax that generates about $2 million a year.

Youngsville voters will be deciding whether to renew two existing property taxes for 15 years.

The first is a 1.86-mill property tax renewal expected to generate about $264,000 a year for fire protection construction, improvements and operations. The tax would be collected from 2019-2033.

The second is a 6-mill property tax renewal that would be collected from 2021-2035 and is expected to generate $852,000 a year.

Half the tax would be used to construct and improve waterworks facilities in the city of Youngsville. Half would be used to construct, maintain, improve and operate fire protection facilities, including acquiring fire trucks and equipment.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Voters should bring a photo ID with them.

Residents who normally vote at the LITE center will be voting Saturday across Devalcourt Street at the LEDA building due to another function at the LITE center, Perret said.

MORE LOCAL NEWS:

Will you vote for new taxes for DA's office, courts and jail?

Tabasco invents special pepper sauce for its 150th anniversary

Sports editor (and Saints fan) Kevin Foote talks about first-round pick