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A.  The governing authority of Consolidated Road Lighting District Number One of East Baton Rouge Parish is hereby authorized to establish, by majority vote of the members of the authority, a service charge or rates of service charges to be assessed persons owning parcels of immovable property located wholly or partly within the boundaries of the road lighting district, subject to the provisions of Subsection B of this Section.  For purposes of this Section, “parcel” shall mean a lot, a subdivided portion of ground, or an individual tract.  Such service charges or rates of service charges may be based upon the proportion which the front footage of each parcel bears to the total front footage of all parcels.  Such service charges or rates of such service charges shall be framed so as to cover and shall be used for the costs of any and all road lighting services including but not limited to the following:

(1)  Payment of utility charges incurred in the provision of road lighting.  

(2)  Maintenance and operation of road lighting district facilities and equipment.  

(3)  Cost of collection of service charges pursuant to Subsection C of this Section.  

B.  Service charges or rates of service charges so established shall be assessed by resolution of the governing authority of the road lighting district.  However, the resolution assessing said service charges shall be adopted by the governing authority only after the question of the assessment, its duration, and the amount of the service charge or rates of service charges established have been submitted to and approved by a majority of electors of the district voting at an election held for that purpose.  Such election shall be conducted in accordance with the election laws of the state and shall be held at a time authorized by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 18:402.  

C.  Service charges assessed as provided in this Section shall be carried on the tax rolls for East Baton Rouge Parish and shall be added to the annual ad valorem tax bills of persons owning parcels in the district.  Such service charges shall be collected and shall become due and delinquent at the same times as parish ad valorem taxes are collected and become due and delinquent.  The sheriff of East Baton Rouge Parish may use any reasonable means to collect and enforce the collection of such service charges, including any means authorized by law for collection of taxes.  The governing authority of the road lighting district shall reimburse the sheriff of East Baton Rouge Parish an amount equal to five percent of the amount of such service charges actually collected from property owners.  This collection charge shall be in addition to such service charges and shall also be added to the ad valorem tax bill of the property involved.  

Acts 1989, No. 150, §1.