NEW ORLEANS – Three millages are set to expire this year, and their renewal is on Saturday’s ballot.
Today, city officials gave an in-depth reason why these should be renewed.
The city says money collected significantly improves services city-wide, specifically proposition two, which provides money for early childhood education. If renewed, the millage will be in place for next 20 years.
The proposed renewal could make a substantial dent in the budget for libraries and early education. It’s expected to produce almost $4.5 million per year.
Right now, 30 percent of third graders in New Orleans are reading at grade level. Unfortunately, 70 percent are not.
And that’s why renewing the millage is essential, according to Director of Youth and Families Emily Wolf.
“This is something that the city has invested in year over year since 2018, but this is an opportunity for the first time for for voters to go to the polls and to vote for access to early care and education for our most vulnerable residence so that our young people our youngest our youngest members of our community will have access to quality early learning,” Wolf said.
If the millage is approved on December 5, library officials say they plan to add another full time early literacy librarian to double their efforts in early childhood learning.
Saturday is election day, and it will be up to voters to decide if they’d like to renew the millage and propositions.
