Baton Rouge, Louisiana
 B-
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Contents |
Baton Rouge is the capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2010 Census, Baton Rouge had 229,553 residents. The Greater Baton Rouge population is approximately 802,484.[1]
Website evaluation
- Main article: Evaluation of Louisiana city websites
The good
- Contains a full listing of council members and their emails, along with meeting agendas and minutes. [2]
- Administrative officials listed with contact information.[3]
- Budget is published.[4]
- Meeting schedule, minutes, agendas posted.[5]
- Zoning information available in Unified Development Code.[6] Building permits available.[7]
- Audits are available.[8]
- Local tax information is available.[9]
The bad
- Contract bid information posted, current contracts are not posted.[10]
- Does not disclose if it belongs to any government sector lobbying associations.
- Does not include information on how to make a public records request.
Elected officials
Both the Mayor-President and members of the Metropolitan Council are limited to three consecutive terms of office.[11]
Mayor-President
The Mayor-President of Baton Rouge is Melvin "Kip" Holden. He assumed office on January 1, 2005, and he was re-elected to a second term of office on October 4, 2008. Born in New Orleans on August 12, 1952, Mayor Holden is married to Lois Stevenson Holden and is the father of five children, Melvin, II; Angela; Monique; Myron and Brian Michael. He is a member of Greater King David Baptist Church.[12]
Metropolitan Council
The Metropolitan Council acts as the governing authority for the City and Parish of East Baton Rouge. Its authority is exercised over the City and Parish General Funds, all districts created by the Council, the Greater Baton Rouge Airport District, the Public Transportation Commission, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sewerage Control Commission, and the Greater Baton Rouge Parking Authority. The Council acts as the official policy-making board for all of the above. It is required by The Plan of Government to hold meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month. The Council also conducts committee meetings on alternating Wednesdays and special meetings whenever they are deemed necessary.[13]
As of 2011, the council members are: Trae Welch, Ulysses "Bones" Addison, Chandler Loupe, Scott Wilson, Ms. Ronnie Edwards, Ms. Donna Collins-Lewis, Ms. C. Denise Marcelle, Jerry Michael Walker Sr., Joel Boe, Tara Wicker, Alison Cascio, and Rodney "Smokie" Bourgeois.[14]
Salaries
Metropolitan Council members earn $1,000 a month for their work.[15] The mayor's salary is not listed on his page.
Budget
Revenue
In the 2011 budget, general fund revenues totaled $773,505,000.[16] Sources of revenue above $10,000,000 are:
- General property tax - $89,305,000
- Gross receipts business tax - $23,256,000
- General sales and use tax - $231,484,000
- Occupational license taxes - $10,050,000
- Intergovernmental revenues - $47,077,000
- Charges for services - $166,303,000
- Billing to other departments - $19,456,000
- Miscellaneous - $67,618,000
- Retirement contributions - $52,349,000
- Operating transfers in - $32,341,000
- Non-operating revenues - $10,996,000
Expenditures
In the 2011 budget, general fund expenditures totaled $773,273,000.[17] Expenditures above $10,000,000 are:
- Personal services - $204,678,000
- Employee benefits - $89,723,000
- Supplies - $27,525,000
- Contractual services - $163,101,000
- Capital outlay - $61,912
- Retirement benefits - $80,932,000
- Debt services - $80,398,000
- Non-recorded grants - $23,085,000
- Operating transfers out - $32,451,000
Lobbying
Baton Rouge is a member of the National League of Cities, an organization that lobbies on behalf of cities on a national level.[18]
The city is also a member of the Louisiana Municipal Association.[19]
The Police Department
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Police Department
External links
References
- ↑ Wikipedia, "Baton Rouge, Louisiana," accessed: April 25, 2011
- ↑ Baton Rouge Louisiana, Metropolitan Council
- ↑ Officials
- ↑ Baton Rouge budget
- ↑ Baton Rouge agendas and meetings
- ↑ Development Code
- ↑ Building Permits
- ↑ Audits
- ↑ Finance
- ↑ Bids
- ↑ Term limits
- ↑ Mayor
- ↑ Metropolitan Council
- ↑ Metropolitan Council members
- ↑ Metropolitan Council salary
- ↑ Revenue
- ↑ Expenditures
- ↑ National League of Cities
- ↑ Louisiana Municipal Association
| |||||
