Baton Rouge Pitches Mayor Large Police promotions – Paid With Money Currently for Libraries – Advocate

Mayor of Eastern Baton Mayor Ruzh Sid Edwards wants to ask voters to raise initial salaries for officers of the Baton Ruzhi Police Department to pay it by reducing the budget for libraries.

The plan, announced on Thursday by news message, will redirect funds from libraries to increase the average pay for BRPD employees from $ 40,900 to $ 58,000. The promotions would be the highest for BRPD employees, said the mayor, ranging from 15% to 41% depending on the rank.

Edwards said the library raises more money from taxpayers than it needs, creating excess.

“Libraries at EBR Parish have accumulated more than $ 114 million budget surplus as a result of years of citizens’ exceeding,” he said.

The proposal also includes additional funding for infrastructure and economic development, as well as additional funding for regional projects of the members of the Metro Council.

“It was careful attention to ensure that we would maintain the best publicly funded library system in the country,” Edwards said. “I look forward to working on the EBR subway to prioritize how the city-market city spends valuable taxpayers.”

According to the mayor’s office, members of the subway council will vote on the proposal in March. If it passes, the initiative will be added to the voter ballots in October.

This is a developing story.