Voters will get to decide the fate of their roads in New Iberia.
Throughout the city of New Iberia roads are patched up, and residents now have an opportunity to change the condition of the roads, by voting in the November election.
The vote would transfer funds that would’ve gone towards the sewer to the city-wide road repair.
Mayor Freddie Decourt, City of New Iberia says 1.5 million dollars is currently owed toward the sewers.
Which is currently being payed out by a 6.58 millage. However, he says the city has the money to pay the debt owed on the sewer improvements and begin dedicating the same funds towards roads.
Mayor Decourt says this will not be a new tax.
“I think it’s clear, not a new tax burden, replacing one millage to another, dedicated only to roads. I think its our only way out,” Decourt said.
The millage is also backed by the city council. We spoke with District 1 Councilwoman, Brooke Marcotte, who is in full support of allocating the funds toward road repair.
“We need some kind of way to have the income to fix the streets in the city. And currently, we were able to get a bond out to fix some of the roads but we definitely need a lot more money to finish every road in the city that is messed up. And to maintain the rest of the roads,” Marcotte said.
However, the millage financial transfer can’t happen if the public does not vote to approve the action.
“If they voters say yes in November, then we’re going to take probably about $1.5 million pay off so that there's no new tax burdens. This millage will kick in and it’ll be seamless,” Decourt said.
Decourt says the plan would give the city two decades' worth of road repair.
“What that would do is give us 20 years dedicated only to roads, road program something the city has never had,” he added.
"My moms house on St. Jude Street in New Iberia, it's like pits, I pass my truck and trailer and my weed eaters be bouncing off the truck and stuff."
Jason Broussard owner of Jason Broussard entertainment and lawncare services, says he's lived in New Iberia all of his life and says roads have always been an issue.
He says he is glad the city is taking a stand to fix roads, which Broussard says he would support.
The election is November 8th.
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