LIVINGSTON — The Livingston Parish Library Board of Control voted 7-3 on July 21 to set its 2026 property tax rate at 8.2 mills, citing the need to raise salaries for underpaid employees, maintain current services, and increase funding for building repairs and other long-term projects.
The recommendation now goes to the Livingston Parish Council, which has final authority over the rate.
If approved, the action would increase the library’s rate from 7.53 to 8.2 mills. According to figures presented at the meeting, the library tax on a homestead-exempt home valued at $250,000 would increase from approximately $132 to $143.50 annually, or about $1 per month.
The 8.2-mill rate remains below the 10 mills previously authorized by voters in 2023.
A significant portion of the additional revenue would support a proposed compensation plan intended to bring employees whose salaries fall below comparable market rates closer to the midpoint for similar positions at other parish libraries.
Shelley Taylor, the library’s human resources manager, told the board that library assistants, library associates, courier and custodial employees, the human resources manager, and the public information officer are among the positions currently paid below the market midpoint.
Librarians, the assistant director, the director, and the information technology administrator are at or near the market midpoint and would not require the same level of adjustment.
The proposal would close the salary gaps in five increments over four budget years. Employees in affected positions would receive 40% of the needed adjustment in January 2027, followed by increases bringing salaries to 60% of the market midpoint in 2028, 80% in 2029, and 100% in 2030.
Each increment is estimated to cost approximately $70,494, resulting in a cumulative annual payroll increase of about $352,470 once the plan is fully implemented.
The budget proposal also includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and additional spending on digital audiobooks, which library officials said are among the system’s most in-demand materials.
Interim Director Scott Kleinpeter said revenue projections provided by the Livingston Parish Assessor’s Office were included in his calculations.
“I don’t think we can afford the staff pay increase at 7.53 mills and keep all the services we have,” Kleinpeter told the board.
Assistant Director Dustin Cotton said keeping the rate at 7.53 mills would eventually affect facilities, collections, and library operations.
“Retaining the rate at 7.53 at this stage will lead to a gradual diminishment of services and resources for the system,” Cotton said.
Cotton said a rate between 8 and 8.1 mills would allow the library to maintain current services, make some salary adjustments for front-line employees, and increase spending on electronic materials, although less money would be available for long-term capital needs.
The library has approximately $3.4 million in its capital outlay fund, including about $1.28 million held in certificates of deposit until 2028.
Administrators have identified 93 projects through 2035 with an estimated combined cost of $5.58 million. The work includes roof replacements, chiller repairs, and other projects needed to maintain the library system’s facilities.
The library placed approximately 5% of its budget into capital outlay in 2023 and 5.3% in 2024. That amount fell to 2% in 2025 and 1.5%, or approximately $108,788, in 2026.
Kleinpeter said the library would need to contribute an average of approximately $212,262 annually through 2035 to complete its planned projects without building two proposed satellite branches. Maintaining at least $1 million in the capital outlay fund would require an average annual contribution of approximately $312,262.
At 8.2 mills, administrators project the library could implement the salary adjustments, the cost-of-living increase, and the additional digital audiobook spending while contributing approximately $445,158 annually to capital outlay.
Kleinpeter said the rate also could allow the library to begin considering a future satellite branch in the southwestern portion of the parish to help reduce demand on the Denham Springs-Walker branch. No new branch was authorized as part of the millage vote.
Livingston Parish Councilman Ricky Goff told the board that library employees deserved raises but argued the library could provide them without increasing the rate above 7.53 mills.
Goff said projected revenue growth, interest earnings, and the possible use of $75,000 to $100,000 from capital outlay could cover the additional expenses. He also suggested extending the salary adjustments over a longer period.
Kleinpeter disputed that assessment, saying his projections did not show that the library could implement the pay increases and maintain all current services at 7.53 mills.
Resident Larry Davis also opposed the increase, arguing that taxpayers are facing higher costs for groceries, gasoline, and other necessities. He said the library should focus more narrowly on providing books and related resources.
Other speakers supported the higher rate. Marla Elsea of Denham Springs said many library employees earn far less than a living wage and that some work second jobs or leave for higher-paying positions elsewhere.
Elsea said the increase would cost the owner of a homestead-exempt home valued at $250,000 approximately $1 per month.
Parish President Randy Delatte made the motion to set the rate at 8.2 mills.
Before the board voted, Board President Jonathan Davis made a substitute motion proposing that the board decline to recommend a specific rate and instead ask the Parish Council to set it.
Davis said board members serve without pay and that he believed tax decisions should be handled by elected officials. Board member Trey Cowell seconded the motion.
Attorney Scott Perrilloux told the board that part of its responsibility was to make a recommendation to the Parish Council because board members had reviewed the library’s budget, operating needs, capital outlay plans, and maintenance requirements.
“That’s why you’re here,” Perrilloux said. “You approve the budget. You have access to the information which you heard tonight.”
Perrilloux said he had never encountered a public body with responsibility for a millage decision that declined to vote on the rate. He noted that the Library Board had evaluated financial information that had not been presented to the Parish Council.
Davis then withdrew his motion.
The board next considered a substitute motion by board member Kristan Whann to set the rate at 8 mills. That proposal failed on a 3-7 vote.
The board then returned to Delatte’s original motion and approved the 8.2-mill rate, 7-3. Board members DeWanna Christian, Trey Cowell, and Jonathan Davis voted against the motion.
In other business, the board voted unanimously to open a capital outlay account with the Louisiana Asset Management Pool, commonly known as LAMP.
LAMP CEO Theo Sanders described the organization as a nonprofit local government investment pool that allows participating public agencies to earn interest while retaining access to their money.
Sanders said LAMP has approximately 964 participating entities and 6,500 accounts. The fund was earning an average interest rate of 3.74% at the time of the presentation.
Resident Jordan Gonzales expressed support for opening an exploratory account but noted that LAMP accounts are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The board authorized the interim director and the library’s financial adviser to determine how much should be placed into the account. A formal investment policy is expected to be presented at the board’s next meeting.
The board also received its annual financial audit, which resulted in an unmodified opinion, the highest level of assurance issued by an auditor.
