An Oversimplified Guide to the 2020 Lafayette Parish Ballot Propositions

Results for parish ballot propositions are in. Check the rundown for those that passed ✅ and those that failed ❌.

PROPOSITION: Rededicate Lafayette’s cultural economy tax to rural fire protection and parish roads ✅

VOTE YES: Lafayette should spend the $500,000 this .25-mill property tax brings in on more essential government services. Voting yes would do just that, moving that revenue stream to help pay for rural fire protection and parish roads and bridges. 

VOTE NO: Lafayette’s cultural economy is essential to its prosperity. Keeping the property tax dedicated to the CREATE initiative is a small investment in Lafayette’s music, art, culture, and parks and recreation with potentially big returns. 

PROPOSITION: Renew the facilities property tax for Lafayette’s public schools ✅

VOTE YES: This 5-mill property tax generates around $11.7 million annually to fund construction, maintenance and improvements of public school facilities. LPSS has used this fund to save money to rebuild Lafayette High. Renewing it is essential to making that goal a reality. 

VOTE NO: LPSS already receives millions of dollars to fund its operations and facilities. Taxpayers are struggling right now in a bad economy and can’t afford to be locked into 10 more years of tax they can’t afford. We have to live within our means. So should public schools. 

PROPOSITION: Legalize sports betting in Lafayette Parish ✅

VOTE YES: Don’t tell me how to lose my money. 

VOTE NO: Louisiana isn’t short on ways for people to throw their money away. 

*Note: Sports betting won’t be “legal” yet in the parishes that pass the proposition. State laws still need to be passed to make that happen.