Duson, Banks win in run-offs; tax renewals pass
Published 1:10 am Sunday, December 11, 2016
NATCHEZ — Concordia Parish voters elected Saturday two law enforcement officials and passed four tax renewals.
Democrat Elijah “Stepper” Banks narrowly defeated Republican Benja Fussell, winning by just three votes. Banks, a former Ferriday aldermen, received 354 votes, while Fussell received 351.
Democrat Frank Duson was elected city marshal for the Town of Vidalia over Jim Boren with 55 percent of the vote. A total of 966 votes were cast, with Duson receiving 529 and Boren 437, or 45 percent of the vote.
Parish-wide, voters renewed a 12-mill law enforcement tax for the sheriff’s office. The 10-year tax is estimated to generate approximately $1.62 million annually. Sheriff Kenneth Hedrick has said the tax is critical to CPSO operations. The tax received 1,651 of 2,990 votes cast.
Parish voters also approved a Concordia Parish Police Jury 10-mill tax renewal for construction, maintaining public buildings and public drainage. The millage is estimated to generate approximately $1.35 million annually. The tax renewal received 1,638 of 3,002 votes cast.
Vidalia voters renewed a one-cent sales tax for 18 years, which is estimated to generate approximately $1.1 million annually. The tax is for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, extending, improving, maintaining and/or operating public streets, drainage facilities, waterworks system facilities and improvements to sewer system facilities. The tax passed with 494 of 872 votes.
Monterey voters renewed for 10 years a 10-mill tax for the Monterey Fire District. The tax is estimated to generate approximately $102,190 annually for the fire protection facilities and equipment, including paying the cost of obtaining water. The tax passed with 251 of 474 votes.
For an owner of a $100,000 home, a 10-mill tax equates to $1,000 annually, while 12 mills would cost the taxpayer $1,200 annually.