By james art 
President Mayor Sid Edwards launched a proposal on February 6 to raise police salaries using funds from the parish library system, an idea that has since received a significant retreat in the community.
The proposal, which will move the existing library system, dedicated to the funds in the General Fund of the Parish city, will raise the payment of the police between 15-41% and will be “other critical needs such as public safety, infrastructure and economic development”.
At a meeting of the Metropolitan Council on February 12, community members appeared for the proposal, with council members failing to decide on the library’s funds before the end of the meeting.
Edwards sat with Reveille to discuss the proposal, explaining it, if necessary, given the finances of the city pan, which include a deficit of $ 52 million, which has exacerbated the creation of St. George.
In December, St. George approved an annual transfer of $ 48 million from the parish of East Baton Rouge in the city government of St. George, a solution that Edwards said he left the city Pani -fiscal for a “way to close [the] A gap. “This led him to a well -funded parish library, an organization he referred to as Rock Stars.
“I am committed to turning our library the best funded library system in the state of Louisiana to continue this, and I believe in them,” Edwards said, calling them part of his family, but explaining that there are other problems that which They need his attention.
He admitted that the proposal came across, as if he was putting the library and Brpd against each other, but that says it is not.
“Can I do anything? Can I be inclined to all those things that are broken and still keep the library in an exceptional position? “Edwards asked when he looked at the budget. “And after my study, I saw that we can absolutely, then we invented [the proposal]S “
Edwards stressed that he asks the people of Baton Rouge to decide how the money would be spent and that “will still fund the library better than any other library system in Louisiana.”
As the subway advice could not immediately reach a resolution, Edwards said it would continue to work with them and the library to find a way forward.
“I’m not a politician, I’m a unifier,” said Edwards, “and I’m a peacekeeper and all I do is look at everyone.”
Although Edward’s proposal is still in the air, he says he intends to keep the library in a position of force.
“The last thing I want to do is hurt our library because they are exceptional,” he said. “In my plan, I believe from the heart, I can keep my library system exceptional just as it is, while fixing other things that are broken.”