Taxes, no questions asked
COA tax passes, showing compassion but also the power shift to older people
Voters gave the Council on Aging tax the strongest win of the three parishwide renewals on Saturday, with more than 90% of precincts voting for the 2 mills, which will provide about $12.5 million in funding each year for 10 years.
Why it matters: The result confirms what local politicians, coffee groups and anyone who has ever tried to cut a senior program already know: Taxes tied to services for older residents are very hard to beat.
They may become even harder to beat as East Baton Rouge keeps getting older.
The details: The Council on Aging tax passed Saturday with 68% of the vote, ahead of the library tax at 64% and the BREC tax at 63%.
The bigger picture: RedEye has reported on the parish’s aging shift. Since 1990, the share of residents under 18 has fallen 5 points, to 22.5%, while the share of residents 65 and older has risen 6 points, to 16.1%.
That swing matters even more at the ballot box. Older residents vote at much higher rates than younger ones. Nationally, citizens 65 and older vote at roughly 70% to 80%, compared with less than 50% for those 18 to 29, according to Census data.
The bottom line: Voters rarely bring the same fiscal skepticism to taxes framed around caring for the elderly. That reflects real community values, but it also gives those taxes a shield from the scrutiny aimed at other public spending.
