Property owners may get tax relief

Council will vote on a 0.47-mill decrease

A vote by the St. Charles Parish Council will determine whether or not to reduce the millage rates on current property taxes by 0.47 mills.

Pending council approval the property tax would be reduced from 27.75 mills to 27.28 mills.

To calculate the amount of property taxes you pay each year multiply the assessed value of your property by the set millage rate.

Property owners with a homestead exemption would calculate property tax by multiplying the millage by the property value after the exemption is deducted.

Laque's proposal will also ask the council to increase the tax rate for street lighting to 1.48 mills because of rising energy costs, and increase the tax rate for mosquito control to 0.91 mills in an effort to provide additional spraying.

The council will vote on the ordinance to adopt the proposed millage rates for 2006 at the next parish council meeting to be held on Sept. 5 at the courthouse in Hahnville.

Parish raises employee wages
At the Aug. 21 meeting, the parish council approved a revised pay plan for civil services employees that will increase starting pay for new hires and those eligible for promotion by 8 percent.

The resolution was introduced by Laque, and states that since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, it is necessary to adjust the starting salaries of civil service employees in order to compete with today's market.

The current pay plan was last adjusted in 2003, and employees have received cost of living adjustments in the past three years.

Two subdivisions will continue expansion
The parish council approved the execution of new construction phases for both the Highland Oaks subdivision in St. Rose and the Fashion Plantation Estates subdivision in Hahnville.

The Highland Oaks subdivision, developed by Landcraft Inc., can now begin phase two of their project which consists of constructing 32 additional lots.

The developers for Fashion Plantation Estates subdivision, Fashion Estates LLC, will add an additional 44 lots in its project’s third phase.

The council approval was necessary in order for home construction to begin.