Industry should not be financed through educational funding.
St. Bernard Parish School Board acts in the best interest of all students with a decision to retain ad valorem taxes from a proposed renewable fuels project. While some economic development groups believe all parish leaders should be unified in granting tax exemptions for this project, parents and grandparents are grateful the school board's vision of the future is through investments in quality education and not in industry.
SBPSB is funded through local ad valorem taxes, state and federal funds, grants and private donations. Most other government services are funded through both property and sales taxes, and both the parish government and sheriff's department have already decided to grant the proposed project tax exemptions, valued upwards to $90 Million over 10 years.
Economic multipliers leave the parish at shift change as the majority of industry jobs throughout the parish are non-domiciled workers; their wages fund the schools, libraries, recreation, roads, fire stations, drainage, levee protections, law enforcement, and other government services in other parishes. Meanwhile, all the adverse quality of life, public health, and environmental harm are borne by parish residents.
Our health and safety is already sacrificed for industry; our children's education should not be.
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