The 14 Amendments On the November 4th Ballot
There are 14 amendments on the ballot for the November 4th election. What are they about? What will a YES or NO vote mean for you? Learn more here.
Most people dread having to vote on a ballot full of amendments, mainly because they think it's gonna take to long to vote or the wording is to complicated. Unfortunately the amendments are written in legal terms and even the most educated and fluent readers, have problems understanding them.
Thankfully, websites like sos.la.gov and parlouisiana.org provide a easier way to read and understand what your voting FOR or AGAINST. It is very wise to take a moment and print-out YOUR sample ballot or jot down your answers BEFORE you go vote. This way you are clear about what your voting for.
Remember there is a time limit of 3 minutes for you to cast your vote. However if you print-out or write down a cheat-sheet prior to going to the polls, you'll be done way before your time is up. So, take a few minutes and review what's on YOUR ballot, write down your answers and geaux vote!
Below is a PARGUIDE of the 14 Constitutional Amendments that will be ballot:
2. Hospital assessment, trust fund and fee formula-
FOR- allows an assessment on hospitals to draw down/collect more federal Medicaid dollars for the institutions and create a hospital stabilization fund.
AGAINST- Leaves current hospital funding the way it is, with now new assessment and no special constitutional fund.
3. Sales of property with delinquent taxes-
FOR- Will allow local governments the option to use private firms to assist in collection of delinquent property taxes and allows the selling of property whose owners are tax delinquent.
AGAINST- keeps the current law in place, which prohibits certain forms of out-sourced tax collection fees.
4. Fund transfers for an infrastructure bank-
FOR- Allows the State Treasurer to invest public funds into a Louisiana Transportation Infrastructure Bank, if such a bank is created.
AGAINST- Will not , give permission to the State Treasurer to do so.
5. Elimination of the mandatory retirement age of judges-
FOR - eliminates the mandatory retirement age of 70 for judges.
AGAINST – Keeps the mandatory retirement age of 70 for judges intact.
6. Higher millage cap for police and fire protection in Orleans Parish-
FOR- Will raise the Orleans Parish special millage caps for police and fire protection from five to 10 mills. This will give the New Orleans City Council authority to levy additional mills with voter approval.
AGAINST- Will keep the Orleans Parish special millage caps in place, at five mills for police and fire protection.
7. Property tax exemption for certain disabled veterans-
FOR – Gives a bonus homestead exemption to Veterans rated with 100% “unemployability” in parishes where a similar tax break has been approved by voters.
AGAINST – Means that Veterans who are rated 100% unemployable would not receive the additional homestead exemption.
8. Artificial Reef Development Fund-
FOR – Will establish the Artificial Reef Development Fund in the Constitution and prohibit using its money for purposes other than those described in the amendment.
AGAINST- Will leave the fund as is, s statutory entity, which allows the government to take money away from the fund as needed to balance the state’s budget.
9. Tax exemption reporting for permanently disabled residents-
FOR- Eliminates the requirement that homeowners under 65-years, who are permanently disabled, must certify their income meets the criteria for an assessment freeze each year.
AGAINST- Means permanently disabled homeowners under 65-years, WILL have to continue to certify their income meets the requirements for the freeze each year.
10. Tax sale of vacant, blighted or abandoned property-
FOR- Requires each parish to shorten the redemption period for vacant blighted or abandoned property sold at a tax sale to 18 months after the sale has been recorded.
AGAINST- Leaves the redemption period as is, which is three years from the date the sale has been recorded, except in Orleans Parish, which already has an 18-month redemption period.
11. Increases the number of state departments from 20 to 21-
FOR- Increases the limit of state government departments from 20 to 21, to create a Department of Elderly Affairs.
AGAINST- Leaves the current limit at 20, but wouldn’t necessarily prevent the future creation of a Department of Elderly Affairs.
12. Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission membership-
FOR- Will change the membership of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission and require that two at-large members come from parishes north of a line created by Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline and Pointe Coupee.
AGAINST- Leaves the membership as is, with three members from the coastal parishes and four selected from the state at large.
13. Orleans Lower Ninth Ward vacant property-
FOR- Allows government-owned property in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans to be sold to specified classes of buyers at a nominal rate, to be established by the Legislature.
AGAINST – Will prohibit this type of property sale in the Lower Ninth Ward.
14. Tax rebates, incentives and abatement's-
FOR- forbids the introduction of legislation concerning tax rebates, tax incentives or tax abatement's in even-numbered years during a general session and specifically allows such legislation in odd-numbered years during fiscal sessions.
AGAINST- Means legislators can introduce legislation related to tax rebates, tax incentives or tax abatement's in general sessions.
Early voting is in progress now through Tuesday October 28th, from 8:30 am to 6 pm at the Registrar of Voters Office. For more details click here.
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