§338.23.  City of Monroe; authority to levy additional sales and use tax

A.  The governing authority of the city of Monroe may levy and collect an additional sales and use tax not in excess of one-half of one percent within the corporate limits of the city as provided for in this Section.

B.  The tax authorized by this Section shall be in addition to all other taxes which the city is authorized to levy and, pursuant to Article VI, Section 29(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, shall not be subject to the combined rate limitation established in Article VI, Section 29(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, nor to the rate limitations established by R.S. 47:338.1 or 338.54, nor to any rate limitation established in any other authority.  The authority granted in this Section shall not limit any prior taxing authority granted to the city or any other political subdivision by any other provision of law, including any authority granted to any other political subdivision to exceed the rate limitations cited in this Subsection.

C.(1)  Such sales and use tax shall be imposed by ordinance of the governing authority of the city and shall be levied upon the sale at retail, the use, lease, or rental, the consumption, and the storage for use or consumption of tangible personal property and on sales of services, all as defined in Chapter 2 of this Subtitle, within the corporate limits of the city of Monroe as provided for in this Section.

(2)  However, the ordinance imposing the tax shall be adopted only if the question of the imposition of the tax is approved by a majority of the qualified electors voting on the proposition at an election held for that purpose and conducted in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code.

(3)  The governing authority of the city of Monroe may call the election and submit a proposition to the voters only after it has adopted a plan or plans, by resolution or ordinance, specifying the purposes for which the additional sales and use tax will be used.  Any such plan shall include:

(a)  An estimate of the annual and aggregate amount of the expenses to be funded by the additional sales and use tax.

(b)  An estimate of the rate of the sales and use tax, not to exceed one-half of one percent, necessary to be levied in each year to fund the estimated amount of such expenses.

(4)  If the imposition of the tax is not approved by a majority of such electors at the election provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, then the provisions of this Section shall be null and void and the tax herein shall not be levied or collected.

D.  The sales and use tax herein authorized shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as set forth in Chapter 2 of this Subtitle.

E.(1)  The proceeds of the tax shall be used to provide for the expenses associated with the operation of the fire and police departments of the city of Monroe.

(2)  The proposition or propositions shall state the purposes for which the tax is to be dedicated, and the proceeds from said tax shall be expended only in accordance with the proposition or propositions approved by the electors at the election authorizing such tax.

Acts 2004, No. 681, §1, eff. July 5, 2004; Redesignated from R.S. 33:2711.23 pursuant to Acts 2011, No. 248, §4.