BY: PIPER HUTCHINSON
Louisiana Illuminator
With ballots still being counted Tuesday night, six out of 10 Louisiana voters have opposed an amendment to the state constitution that would prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude but allow forced labor as part of a criminal sentence.
With more than 70% of statewide precincts reporting, four other proposed amendments were also likely to fail.
Amendment 7, which in its original wording would have banned slavery and involuntary servitude, was watered down during the legislative process to the point that its author, Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, asked voters to reject the proposal.
Here’s where the other proposed amendments stood with over 70% precincts counted by the Secretary of State.
Amendment 1
Nearly two-thirds of voters oppose an amendment that seeks to increase the maximum amount of money the state treasurer can invest from seven state trust funds on Wall Street.
Amendment 2
Approximately three-quarters of voters are leaning toward approving Amendment 2, which would increase the property tax exemption for veterans disabled in the line of service and for their spouses after their deaths.
Amendment 3
Two-thirds of voters have voted “no” on the proposal that would allow most of Louisiana’s public employees to take part in certain campaign activities if the candidate is an immediate family member.
Amendment 4
About three quarters of voters have voted “yes” on an amendment that would let local water utilities reduce customer bills if the charges stem from water use outside of the customer’s control.
Amendment 5
Almost 60% of voters have voted against an amendment that would give local authorities more time to decide whether to “roll forward” millages that increase property taxes for residences and businesses.
Amendment 6
In a closer referendum, 52% of voters are against an amendment that seeks to limit increases to the property tax liability of homes subject to the homestead exemption in Orleans Parish. Increases would be capped at 10% of the property’s assessed value in the previous year.
Amendment 8
More than half of voters have voted to remove the requirement that certain property owners with disabilities annually certify their income in order to receive a property tax rate freeze.