LIVINGSTON - The Livingston Parish School Board has rolled forward four parishwide school property taxes to keep up with rising costs in the fast-growing system.

Rolling the taxes forward will result in $1.1 million revenue on the rising assessed property values this year, but the board assured property owners that school millage rates will be lower for most.

The action came during the board meeting Thursday night after the school system's business manager explained the numbers to a large audience of unhappy community residents.

Business Manager Terri Hughes said property taxes for Albany, French Settlement, Live Oak, Maurepas, Spring-field and Walker school districts will be lower by at least 3.54 mills.

Property taxes for the Frost School District will be lower by 8.54 mills and the Denham Springs School District will have a 10-mill reduction. The net decrease will be 5 mills for Frost and 6.46 mills for Denham Springs.

Only Holden and Doyle school districts do not have any property taxes at this time.

“This action was taken by this board to try to relieve some of the difficulty the residents of Livingston Parish have experienced with higher assessments,” board President Keith Martin said. “ We are residents here, too. We understand the difficulty everyone has been having. This is an unprecedented move. You will not see other entities try to reduce an already voter-approved millage rate.

“Building costs have doubled and maintenance costs are rising, he said.

“We need to keep the qualified and exceptional educators we have, and we need to continue to grow with a rapidly growing parish,” Martin said. “We will not allow our schools to get in the condition of other school districts with falling down buildings and a decreased level of educational standards.”

Senior citizens made up most of the audience.

“I used to live in a 6,000-square-foot home and last year moved to a much smaller place,” said 75-year-old Troy Atkinson. The taxes for the small place went from $400 a year to $900 a year. We are seniors. We simply can't afford that.”

“Certainly, you are not talking about reducing this millage enough to make a difference in what we have to pay,” said Nadine Molliere, a state employee who works in purchasing. “It seems like rhetoric when you say you are reducing and then increasing in the same sentence.”

Board member Buddy Mincey said the board has been working very hard, meeting with accountants, Jeff Taylor Parish tax Assessor and area businesses to find ways to cut the tax millage and save as much money for their citizens as they possibly could without jeopardizing the school system and its operations.

Local businessman Ron Menville expressed his appreciation to the board for their determination to find ways to cut tax millages in the parish.