It has been a David vs. Goliath story in the Louisiana capital, where a grass-roots coalition of black and white churches, activists and ordinary citizens have successfully clamored to democratize a system that used to dole out billions in property-tax breaks without giving the local school boards, city councils and other government entities that depend on those taxes any say in the matter.
New York Times story here.
During the meeting, supporters of teachers formed a picket line outside Emily Griffith High School. As protesters marched up and down the sidewalk, speakers invited to the event by Industrial Areas Foundation of Colorado, a consortium of unions, religious institutions and community activists, spoke about standing in solidarity with teachers. Story
At Tuesday’s hearing, Meredith Parnell, a member of the Marin Organizing Committee, which has been the leading voice calling for action to address the housing crisis, said that all Marin rental properties, regardless of size, should be required to register with the county. Story here
Together Baton Rouge/iaf celebrates Exxon pulling ITEP applications, commends company's philanthropy1/24/2019
ExxonMobil may have withdrawn its application for a local tax break, but advocates with Together Baton Rouge still took an opportunity to weigh in before Wednesday's Metro Council meeting to say that while the company does a lot of good for Baton Rouge, they're glad to see the proposal yanked. Story by Steve Hardy in The Advocate
Story in the Advocate by Sam Karlin
ExxonMobil on Tuesday said it will drop its pending requests for property tax breaks in Baton Rouge and warned the “uncertainty” surrounding tax incentives could deter future spending at its local plants. The move came days after the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, for the first time, voted to reject two requests by ExxonMobil to exempt it from paying a combined $2.9 million over 10 years to local schools. Exxon was set to ask the Metro Council Wednesday to approve the exemptions.
OTOC and IPL leaders attended the Ima Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Luncheon. Thank you Rev. King for Your motivation, leadership, and legacy for equal rights. May we continue to strive for a world that works.
Omaha Together One Community - OTOC
Members of Colorado’s Industrial Areas Foundation — a national organization of faith leaders, unions and community organizations — joined the group of teachers, DPS children and parents who filled the bargaining room at the Department of Extended Learning and Community Schools building.
The group, including the NAACP’s Billy Williams and local faith leaders and teachers from neighboring districts, asked to speak with DPS officials and then headed upstairs, encircling Cordova and Ferrandino in a small room. Members took turns presenting a speech that critiqued the district’s “bloated administration,” accused the district of a “divide and conquer” approach around speaking to teachers about negotiations, and quoted Scripture in noting: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” More here.
St Patrick Catholic Community advances learning on immigration/migration. Assembles powerful resources for study and action. Here.
Together Baton Rouge/ITEP critics defeat ExxonMobil tax break requests Thursday at School Board1/18/2019
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday voted just before midnight Thursday to reject two controversial requests for industrial tax breaks from the biggest taxpayer in the parish.
The 5-4 vote marked a rare defeat for ExxonMobil, which has received hundreds of such tax exemptions via the decades-old Industrial Tax Exemption Program, or ITEP, and a big victory for critics of the program, including the faith-based group Together Baton Rouge and school employee groups, including the two teacher unions. More
New study shows minority-owned businesses in Baton Rouge pay 3 times higher property taxes than ExxonMobil A new analysis of the property tax rolls in Baton Rouge shows stark disparities in business property tax rates, driven mainly by industrial tax exemptions.
KEY FINDINGS OF THE REPORT:
Check out the "Who pays more?" search tool at: PROPERTYSEARCH.TOGETHERBR.ORG
East Baton Rouge school officials revise proposed ITEP tax break rules in response to critics
EBR School Board member Michael Gaudet gives reasons for his proposal to postponed action on new proposed guidelines for granting industrial tax exemptions. They are similar to ones that the Metro Council approved Nov. 14. But the changes have prompted the group Together Baton Rouge to blast the new document and Gaudet wants to refine the wording, not create a loophole. |