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A proposal to create a parish-wide library system in St. Landry Parish was put on hold Wednesday evening by the parish council's financial committee until next month's meeting after members of the council and a citizen expressed concern over the timing of the proposal.

The public works committee picked up the parish-wide library system discussion and voted the finance committee should look at the proposal before it goes to the full council. The finance committee was unable to vote to send the issue to the full council because it was not on the agenda.

The proposal would put a property tax to fund a parish-wide library system.

Councilman Wayne Ardoin said he believed that it would be premature to push the people to vote for a tax to create the library system.

Parish President Bill Fontenot disagreed, and said that although a similar proposition had been presented in the past, every generation should be given the opportunity to decide for themselves.

"You can't just let another generation pass without letting the people decide, that's just my opinion. People should be able to decide. There's another generation out there that's able to vote so just let them vote is what I say."

Councilman Jerry Red Jr. said he wouldn't vote favorably for the property tax to go on November's ballot and that the council should look at the issues that come along with creating a parish-wide library system.

"I don't think we need to rush and put something before the people," said Red. "At the same time, we need to prioritize what is more important in this parish. We have many issues that we are facing, and on my agenda, the library is not No. 1 on that list."

Red also said because a parish-wide library system would deal with the schools, it should be the schools that are taking the responsibility.

One local businessman, Don Leger, said he would like to see the Smooth Ride Home project completed and reviewed before another tax proposition comes forward to the voters.

"Honestly I've never heard one person come and say 'My kids can't go to the library' or 'I can't get to the library,'" Leger told the public works committee. "I hear people saying the ditch is flooded. I hear people saying 'I can't get here, I can't get there.' We have people with no fire protection.

"Every little town that thought it was a vital importance to have a library have done something about it," Leger continued. "Do we need a parish library system right now? Maybe after all the pot holes are done and the people quit coming here complaining, then let's make a library… Don't put a tax on us for something that may or may not be needed."

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