Residents in St. Charles Parish overwhelmingly renewed a St. Charles Parish Hospital tax for 10 years and narrowly voted political newcomer Jarvis Lewis into office on Saturday.
The hospital tax passed with nearly 70 percent of the vote, 4,381 to 1,996. The tax will generate $2.6 million per year and allow the addition of a third ambulance shift during peak service hours. Officials say funds from the renewal will also support an expanded emergency room, operations of a recently unveiled cardiac catheterization lab and operating expenses of an urgent care center in Destrehan now under construction.
By renewing the tax, which has been in place for more than three decades, the owner of a $200,000 home will continue to pay $31 a year to support those hospital services.
The race between current Council Chairwoman Julia Fisher-Perrier and Lewis for councilman at-large Division B was tight throughout the night, with the two separated by only six votes with three precincts left. However, those three precincts turned out to be in Lewis’ favor as he finished with 51 percent of the vote. Lewis finished with 3,590 votes while Fisher-Perrier had 3,465 votes.
Lewis said he will work with state leaders to get roads in the parish up to driving standards, help institute a paid fire department and be a voice for sound spending.
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