Notice

Publication Date

2024-01-18

Subcategory

Miscellaneous Notices

PARISH COUNCIL OF THE PARISH OF ASCENSION, STATE OF LOUISIANA

The following Resolution was offered by Joel Robert and seconded by Pam Alonso:

RESOLUTION

A Resolution designating the boundaries of Highway 30 Industrial Corridor Economic Development District of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the District) as the ad valorem tax area and as the sales tax area of the District; designating the local ad valorem and sales taxes to be used in determining the ad valorem and sales tax increments and corresponding baseline collection rates in the District; authorizing the pledge and dedication of revenues generated by such ad valorem and sales tax increments in the District to finance economic development project costs; directing the Chief Financial Officer of the Parish to certify the baseline collection rates in the District for such designated ad valorem and sales taxes; approving the Districts Economic Development Plan; and otherwise providing with respect thereto.

WHEREAS, a local government subdivision in the State of Louisiana may establish, by ordinance, an economic development district pursuant to the provisions of Part II of Chapter 27 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, inclusive (the EDD Act);

WHEREAS, the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the Parish) is a local government subdivision under and as defined in Article VI, Section 44 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, as amended (the Louisiana Constitution) whose governing authority is the Parish Council of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the Parish Council);

WHEREAS, pursuant to the EDD Act and an ordinance duly adopted by the Parish Council on September 15, 2022, the Parish Council created Highway 30 Industrial Corridor Economic Development District of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the District) and the Parish Council serves as the governing authority of the District pursuant to Section 33:9038.32 of the EDD Act;

WHEREAS, pursuant to an ordinance duly adopted by the Parish Council on August 15, 1985 and other constitutional and statutory authority supplemental thereto, the Parish Council created Ascension Parish Sales Tax District No. 2 of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (District No. 2) and serves as the governing authority of District No. 2

WHEREAS, this Resolution is a resolution made by each of the Parish, the District, and District No. 2 to accomplish the purposes stated herein and is adopted by the Parish Council acting in each and all of its respective capacities as the governing authority of the Parish, the governing authority of the District, and the governing authority of District No. 2;

WHEREAS, the Parish currently levies a 2.74 mill ad valorem tax for general purposes by the Parish within the boundaries of the District (the Parish Ad Valorem Tax) pursuant to Article VI, Section 26(A) of the Louisiana Constitution and other constitutional and statutory authority supplemental thereto;

WHEREAS, for the purposes of furthering economic development projects in the District and satisfying the requirements stated in La. Rev. Stat. 33:9038.33, it is the desire of the Parish Council to: (i) designate the boundaries of the District as the ad valorem tax area; (ii) designate the Parish Ad Valorem Tax as the local ad valorem tax to be used in determining the ad valorem tax increment and the initial annual baseline collection rate of the Parish Ad Valorem Tax in the District; (iii) authorize the pledge and dedication of revenues generated by such ad valorem tax increment for the purpose of financing economic development project costs and any other authorized purposes described in the EDD Act; and (iv) direct the Chief Financial Officer of the Parish to certify the initial annual baseline collection rate of the Parish Ad Valorem Tax in the District, annexed hereto as EXHIBIT B and derived from the report compiled by Advantous Consulting LLC annexed hereto as EXHIBIT C, and to cause publication of such certification in the Gonzales Weekly Citizen, a newspaper of general circulation within the Parish, and being the official journal of the Parish;

WHEREAS, the Parish currently levies a 1.00% sales and use tax for general purposes within the boundaries of the District (the Parish Sales Tax) pursuant to Article VI, Section 29 of the Louisiana Constitution, Section 338.54 of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other constitutional and statutory authority supplemental thereto;

WHEREAS, District No. 2 currently levies a one-half of one percent (0.50%) sales and use tax within the boundaries of the District (the District No. 2 Sales Tax) pursuant to Article VI, Section 29 of the Louisiana Constitution, Section 338.54 of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other constitutional and statutory authority supplemental thereto, where one-third (1/3) of the proceeds of the District No. 2 Sales Tax are dedicated for the purposes of capital improvements, equipment, services, supplies and other lawful purposes for fire protection and Emergency Medical Service and Rescue Service for the residents of District No. 2 (the Fire and EMS Portion) and two-thirds (2/3) of the proceeds of the District No. 2 Sales Tax are dedicated for the purposes of construction, maintenance and improvement of rural roads in District No. 2 (the Road Portion and, together with the Parish Sales Tax, the Designated Sales Taxes);

WHEREAS, for the purposes of furthering economic development projects in the District and satisfying the requirements stated in La. Rev. Stat. 33:9038.34, it is the desire of the Parish Council to: (i) designate the boundaries of the District as the sales tax area; (ii) designate the Designated Sales Taxes as the local sales taxes to be used in determining the sales tax increments, the initial annual baseline collection rates, and the monthly baseline collection rates of the Designated Sales Taxes in the District; (iii) authorize the pledge and dedication of revenues generated by such sales tax increments for the purpose of financing economic development project costs and any other authorized purposes described in the EDD Act; and (iv) direct the Chief Financial Officer of the Parish to certify the initial annual baseline collection rates and the monthly baseline collection rates of the Designated Sales Taxes in the District, annexed hereto as EXHIBIT B and derived from the report compiled by Advantous Consulting LLC annexed hereto as EXHIBIT C, and to cause publication of such certifications in the Gonzales Weekly Citizen, a newspaper of general circulation within the Parish, and being the official journal of the Parish;

WHEREAS, the Fire and EMS Portion shall not be designated as a local sales tax to be used in determining the sales tax increments contemplated in this Resolution; and

WHEREAS, the Parish Council, as governing authority of the Parish and the District, has considered and approves the Districts Economic Development Plan, substantially in the form annexed hereto as EXHIBIT A and incorporated herein by reference, to the same extent as if it were set forth in full.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Parish Council of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana, in each and all of its respective capacities as the governing authority of the Parish, the governing authority of the District, and the governing authority of District No. 2, that:

SECTION 1. For the purposes of furthering economic development projects in the District and satisfying the requirements stated in La. Rev. Stat. 33:9038.33, the Parish Council, acting as governing authority of the Parish, hereby: (i) designates the boundaries of the District as the ad valorem tax area; (ii) designates the Parish Ad Valorem Tax as the local ad valorem tax to be used in determining the ad valorem tax increment and the initial annual baseline collection rate of the Parish Ad Valorem Tax in the District; (iii) authorizes the pledge and dedication of revenues generated by such ad valorem tax increment for the purpose of financing economic development project costs and any other authorized purposes described in the EDD Act; and (iv) directs the Chief Financial Officer of the Parish to certify the initial annual baseline collection rate of the Parish Ad Valorem Tax in the District and to cause publication of such certification in the Gonzales Weekly Citizen, a newspaper of general circulation within the Parish, and being the official journal of the Parish;

SECTION 2. For the purposes of furthering economic development projects in the District and satisfying the requirements stated in La. Rev. Stat. 33:9038.34, the Parish Council, acting as governing authority of the Parish and District No. 2, hereby: (i) designates the boundaries of the District as the sales tax area; (ii) designates the Designated Sales Taxes as the local sales taxes to be used in determining the sales tax increments, the initial annual baseline collection rates, and the monthly baseline collection rates of the Designated Sales Taxes in the District; (iii) authorizes the pledge and dedication of revenues generated by such sales tax increments for the purpose of financing economic development project costs and any other authorized purposes described in the EDD Act; and (iv) directs the Chief Financial Officer of the Parish to certify the initial annual baseline collection rates and the monthly baseline collection rates of the Designated Sales Taxes in the District and to cause publication of such certifications in the Gonzales Weekly Citizen, a newspaper of general circulation within the Parish, and being the official journal of the Parish.

SECTION 3. The Parish Council, acting as governing authority of the Parish and the District, hereby approves the Districts Economic Development Plan, substantially in the form annexed hereto as EXHIBIT A and incorporated herein by reference, to the same extent as if it were set forth in full.

SECTION 4. If any one or more of the provisions of this Resolution shall for any reason be held to be illegal or invalid, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect any other provision of this Resolution, but this Resolution shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal or invalid provisions had not been contained herein. Any constitutional or statutory provision enacted after the date of this Resolution which validates or makes legal any provision of this Resolution which would not otherwise be valid or legal, shall be deemed to apply to this Resolution.

SECTION 5. Upon adoption, this Resolution shall be published in full in one (1) issue of the Gonzales Weekly Citizen.

SECTION 6. The Chairman of the Parish Council is hereby further authorized, empowered, and directed, for and on behalf of the Parish and the District, to take any and all such action as may be necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this Resolution.

SECTION 7. The Chief Financial Officer of the Parish is hereby further authorized to amend any of the certifications of baseline collection rates described herein without further action of the Parish Council provided that any such amended certification shall be published in full in one (1) issue of the Gonzales Weekly Citizen.

SECTION 8. This Resolution shall immediately take effect upon adoption.

EXHIBIT A

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF

HIGHWAY 30 INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

OF THE PARISH OF ASCENSION, STATE OF LOUISIANA

The Parish Council serves as the governing authority of the District, which was created for the purpose of supporting the industrial development along the Louisiana Highway 30 corridor from the western boundary of the City of Gonzales, State of Louisiana to the boundary the Parish shares with neighboring Iberville Parish. The exact boundaries are included in the Ordinance.

(i) the Parishs 2.74 mill ad valorem tax levied for general purposes within the boundaries of the District (the Parish Ad Valorem Tax);

(ii) the Parishs 1.00% sales and use tax levied for general purposes within the boundaries of the District (the Parish Sales Tax); and

(iii) two-thirds (2/3) of the proceeds of the one-half of one percent (0.50%) sales and use tax levied by Ascension Parish Sales Tax District No. 2 of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (District No. 2) dedicated for the purposes of construction, maintenance and improvement of rural roads in District No. 2 (the Road Tax and, together with the Parish Ad Valorem Tax and the Parish Sales Tax, the Designated Taxes).

The public improvements to be funded through the incremental revenues generated by the Designated Taxes include those road and infrastructure improvements to certain portions of Louisiana Highways 30, 73, 75, 429 that lie within the Districts boundaries, including the full intersection of Highway 429 and Highway 73 and a potential interchange with Interstate 10 and Louisiana Highway 429 (Cornerview Road) within the boundaries of the District. Anticipated improvements include road construction to accommodate increased traffic flow and safety concerns and drainage improvements ancillary to road construction and property protection.

EXHIBIT B

FORM OF COLLECTION RATE CERTIFICATIONS

Highway 30 Industrial Corridor Economic Development District of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the District) was created by pursuant to the pursuant to the provisions of Part II of Chapter 27 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, inclusive (the EDD Act) and an ordinance duly adopted on September 15, 2022 (the Ordinance) by the Parish Council (the Parish Council) of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the Parish). The Parish Council serves as the governing authority of the District, which was created for the purpose of supporting the industrial development along the Louisiana Highway 30 corridor from the western boundary of the City of Gonzales, State of Louisiana to the boundary the Parish shares with neighboring Iberville Parish. The exact boundaries of the District are included in the Ordinance.

The District intends to finance economic development projects using incremental ad valorem and sale tax revenues in the District. Pursuant to a resolution of the Parish Council adopted on January 4, 2024 and the Parish has designated the following taxes for such purposes: (i) the Parishs 2.74 mill ad valorem tax levied for general purposes within the boundaries of the District (the Parish Ad Valorem Tax); (ii) the Parishs 1.00% sales and use tax levied for general purposes within the boundaries of the District (the Parish Sales Tax); and (iii) two-thirds (2/3) of the proceeds of the one-half of one percent (0.50%) sales and use tax levied by Ascension Parish Sales Tax District No. 2 of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (District No. 2) dedicated for the purposes of construction, maintenance and improvement of rural roads in District No. 2 (the Road Tax and, together with the Parish Sales Tax, the Designated Sales Taxes).

In accordance with the requirements of Chapter 27 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended (the Act), the undersigned, acting in her capacity as Chief Financial Officer of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana, hereby certifies that:

1. The amount of the Parish Ad Valorem Tax collected in the District in 2021, the fiscal year of the Parish most recently completed prior to the establishment of the District, is $62,172,223.49.

2. The initial annual baseline collection rate of the Parish Ad Valorem Tax for the District is $62,172,223.49.

3. The monthly baseline collection rate of the Parish Ad Valorem Tax collected in the District, determined by dividing the initial annual baseline collection rate by twelve (12), is $5,181,018.62

4. The amount of Designated Sales Taxes collected in the District in 2021, the fiscal year of the Parish most recently completed prior to the establishment of the District, is $10,704,048.26.

5. The initial annual baseline collection rate of the Designated Sales Taxes for the District is $10,704,048.26.

6. The monthly baseline collection rate of Designated Sales Taxes for the District, determined by dividing the initial annual baseline collection rate by twelve (12), is $892,004.02.

In accordance with the requirements of the Act, this certification shall be published one (1) time in the official journal of the Parish, the Gonzales Weekly Citizen.

Dawn Caballero, Chief Financial Officer

Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana

EXHIBIT C

REPORT OF ADVANTOUS CONSULTING LLC

(On file with the Ascension Parish Council)

This Resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:

YEAS: Oliver Joseph, Joel Robert, Travis Turner, Brett Arceneaux, Todd Varnado, Chase Melancon, Brian

Hillensbeck, Blaine Petite, Pam Alonso, Dennis Cullen, Michael Mason

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

WHEREUPON, this Resolution was declared to be adopted by the Parish Council of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana, on this 4th day January, 2024.

/s/ Cinnamon McKey

Cinnamon McKey, Council Secretary

/s/ Chase Melancon

Chase Melancon, Council Chairman

STATE OF LOUISIANA

PARISH OF ASCENSION

I, the undersigned Secretary of the Parish Council of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the Parish Council) do hereby certify that the foregoing constitutes a true and correct copy of a Resolution adopted by the Parish Council on January 4, 2024, designating the boundaries of Highway 30 Industrial Corridor Economic Development District of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana (the District) as the ad valorem tax area and as the sales tax area of the District; designating the local ad valorem and sales taxes to be used in determining the ad valorem and sales tax increments and corresponding baseline collection rates in the District; authorizing the pledge and dedication of revenues generated by such ad valorem and sales tax increments in the District to finance economic development project costs; directing the Chief Financial Officer of the Parish to certify the baseline collection rates in the District for such designated ad valorem and sales taxes; approving the Districts Economic Development Plan; and otherwise providing with respect thereto.

IN FAITH WHEREOF, witness my official signature and the impress of the official seal of said Parish Council of the Parish of Ascension, State of Louisiana, on this 4th day of January, 2024.