1,356 vote absentee in tax election - 2004-01-10
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Howard Zerangue said if his proposed 3/4-cent sales tax does not pass on Jan. 17, he will have to cut services and let go of up to 25 deputies.
Zerangue said he will have to cut community services such as the parish van that transports handicapped and elderly people to hospitals and clinics, and the school bus that transports school children and church groups to events.
Also on the chopping block are inmate work crews who are used through out the parish and its 12 municipalities.
Zerangue said of the seven surrounding parishes, St. Landry has the lowest operating budget and the most square miles to patrol.
The department is funded by citation fines, grants, a 4.4 mills property tax, of which the office retains about $1,736,000 per year, and about $412,000 per year in video poker funds.
Read the full story at Opelousas Daily World 
