UNION PARISH, La. (KTVE/KARD) — With the general elections, Union Parish voters can decide if they will renew a 15 milage property tax. The school board says this is desperately needed to educate and provide for the parish’s children.

The original proposition was approved in 2005 and renewed twice. However, the offer expired in December of 2022, causing the school board to represent it to the voters to continue the tax.

This will not cost you, the taxpayer any more money. This is money that we have used for funding our daily operations of schools for a number of years. It’s just to cover the expenses that we have in place now.

Kristy Fine, Superintendent of Union Parish School District

According to Fine, some of the expenses are used for the school curriculum, hiring certified teachers and employees, transportation, extracurricular activities, and day-to-day operations.

Superintendent Fine says the renewal will benefit all students in the parish.

If we lose it, it will be detrimental to our students. It does not just benefit Union Parish School Board schools. Union Parish Elementary, Union Parish high school, but Downsville community, Da’arbone Woods Charter School, Northeast Claiborne up in Junction City, and even Lincoln Prep in Ruston.

Kristy Fine, Superintendent of Union Parish School District

Francisco Martinez Sr. is a product of Union Parish School District and now has a child attending school in the same district. Martinez says this renewal is significant for the children attending today and those in the future.

It will just be very difficult, for the schools to operate, without this tax. Its just in my opinion, very very important for our kids and our parish..”

Francisco Martinez Sr.

Early voting ends on April 22, 2023, and the general election will be held on April 29.

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