Metairie - Jefferson Parish leaders have signed off on a three part plan they hope will keep the parish financially afloat in 2010.
"We're gonna tighten our belt and cut back" warns Jefferson Parish Council Chairman Tom Capella.
For the first time in almost twenty years, Jefferson Parish is raising water and sewer rates.
The increase means the average household - which monthly uses about 8,000 gallons of water - will pay an extra $2.27 per month.
“It still gives Jefferson Parish the lowest water rates in the state of Louisiana and the lowest sewage rates of parishes of comparable size," says Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard.
He says the money generated will pay to modernize the water and sewer systems.
“A lot of these pipes are ancient. They need to be repaired and upgraded. Some of our lines are terra cotta- which means they're very fragile."
The 2010 budget also allows the parish to use money collected from red light cameras for general expenses, instead of just hospitals.
‘It's a way to try to move dollars around during a tough recession. We're budgeting 0% growth so its going to be a tough year," says Capella.
The potential snag: a lawsuit debating whether the red light cameras are constitutional is still entangled in an appeals court.
Although Jefferson Parish is collecting money from the cameras' tickets, leaders they won't spend any of it until the legal process is finished.
“{We’re} certainly hopefully by some point in 2010 the appeals process will be over one way or another," says Capella.
Step three in Jefferson Parish's budgeting process: raise public transportation fees. Starting January 1, a regular bus far climbs 40 cents to $1.50.
Para-transit fares for the disabled will jump up to $3.00 from $2.00.
Parish leaders hope these changes will be enough to see them through 2010's financial ups and downs.
Jefferson Parish was able to find money to offer a 3% merit pay raise for employees.
The parish has side-stepped the need to cut services, at least for now.
Leaders are hoping people will shop locally this holiday season so tax revenues won't fall below the projected amount.
