News -> INDReporter THU, DEC 22 11:45AM by Walter Pierce

Bars re-file federal suit vs. LCG

The owners of four downtown bars have re-filed a federal lawsuit against Lafayette Consolidated Government challenging LCG’s special law-enforcement levy charged to downtown bars to cover the cost of additional police presence on weekends, according to The Advocate. The suit was originally filed in November but later withdrawn pending the outcome of appeals of liquor-license suspensions. The bars lost the appeals and on Tuesday of this week, the same day the suit was resubmitted, the City-Parish Council declined to pass an ordinance that would have repealed the levy.

The levy on the bars in based on capacity, with Karma paying the most at just under $5,000. The suit seeks to recover what the bars have paid to LCG since the levy was established in 2009, which, if successful, could potentially put Lafayette taxpayers on the hook for well over $1 million.

Read more in here in today’s Advocate.


Walter Pierce
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written by Greg Foreman , December 25, 2011 - 04:40 pm
How can LCG justify charging these or any businesses for police protection? After all, isn't that the government's job, i.e, "to serve and protect". I don't remember reading any "surcharge" at the end of that statement. The sales taxes collected from said area should be revenue enough to cover the expense of providing such services. If not, then the city government should discuss a special assessment tax in this area to offset the cost of providing "additional" protection. However, a fixed base charge, such as the one currently being assessed, is wholly/totally illegal.

Get your check book ready Joey, you're gonna be writing a big fat refund to these clubs...as well as to the city of Broussard when the dust settles from all this mess. Merry Christmas/Happy New Year/Ya'll
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