Tagged: utilities

Terrebonne Parish voters probably will decide May 4 whether to approve a property tax designed to pay for water service.

The Courier reports the Parish Council voted this past week to put the 2.11-mill property tax on the ballot. The council must still ratify the measure Jan. 23 after a public hearing.

The tax is a requirement for Terrebonne to join the Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District, which supplies Terrebonne with 80 percent of its drinking water.

Tuesday's freezing rain and sleet closed Grambling State University early, canceled flights, sent drivers skidding and broke power lines in north Louisiana.

Police in both Shreveport and Monroe closed ramps onto Interstate 20.

Grambling sent students home at noon Tuesday but Louisiana Tech stayed open. Northwestern State canceled evening classes but said it would open Wednesday. Ouachita, Richland, East Carroll, Madison, Union, West Carroll, Morehouse parishes and Monroe city schools were closed Tuesday.

Terrebonne Parish voters will decide May 4 whether to approve a property tax to pay for water service or risk higher water costs under a new contract.

The Parish Council voted unanimously Wednesday to put a 2.11-mill property tax on the ballot.

The tax is a requirement for Terrebonne to join the Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District, which supplies the parish with 80 percent of its drinking water.

Officials with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration have made their pitch to City Council members about a possible funding source to address a problem the city has struggled with since Hurricane Katrina: broken street lights.

The source would be an increased franchise fee charged to Entergy New Orleans — a fee that would be passed on to customers.