CALCASIEU: Cutrera wins family court judgeship

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Bill Cutrera (R) defeated Brad Guillory (R) in Saturday’s general election to win the Division C Family and Juvenile Court judgeship in Calcasieu’s 14th Judicial District Court.

Results are complete but unofficial from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.

Click HERE for more election results.

Cutrera received 54 percent of the ballot (5,002 votes) to Guillory’s 46 percent (4,276 votes).

Cutrera and Guillory were in a runoff after neither garnered 50 percent of the vote to win outright in the Oct. 14 primary. Cutrera received 39 percent of the ballot (6,373 votes) on Oct. 14, while Guillory received 32 percent (5,354 votes).

Cutrera is filling the seat of Judge Guy Bradberry, who was elected to the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal.

Parishwide Criminal Justice Proposition -- 3.16 Mills Renewal - PJ - 10 Yrs.

A parish-wide 3.16-mill, 10-year criminal justice renewal passed by 54 percent (11,245 votes to 9,560).

The criminal justice tax, originally put on the books in 1985, provides funding for the Calcasieu District Attorney’s Office and the 14th Judicial District Court.

The tax is estimated to bring in $8.4 million per year.

Parishwide Mosquito Control Proposition - 2.41 Mills Renewal - PJ - 10 Yrs.

A 2.41-mill, 10-year parishwide mosquito control renewal passed with 68 percent of the ballot (14,213 votes to 6,606).

First approved by voters in 1975, the tax is estimated to bring in $6.4 million annually.

Airport District No. One - 0.63 Mills Renewal - PJ - 10 Yrs.

A .63-mill, 10-year renewal for Lake Charles Regional Airport passed by 65 percent (7,037 votes to 3,783).

The tax, expected to bring in $1 million annually, covers one-third of the airport’s operating costs.

The property tax was first approved in 1955.

Sales Tax District No. One - 1% S&U Tax Renewal - PJ - 20 Yrs.

A 1-percent, 20-year sales and use tax renewal for Calcasieu’s roads and bridges passed with 53 percent of the ballot (5,135 votes to 4,576).

The tax is expected to bring in $25.8 million per year, to maintain public roads, highways, bridges and parks. One third of the tax must be used for the repair, maintenance and overlaying of parish roads.

First implemented in 1984, the tax is applied only in unincorporated areas of Calcasieu Parish.

Waterworks Dist. No. Five of Wards Three and Eight - 6.39 Mills Renewal - PJ - 10 Yrs.

A 6.39-mill, 10-year renewal for Mallard Junction Water District passed by 54 percent (62 votes to 53).

Formally called District 5 of Wards 3 and 8, the district covers areas east and southeast of Lake Charles.

The tax, first approved in 2004, is expected to bring in $190,000 per year. The district, which serves around 1,750 customers, is funded through taxes and user fees.

City of Sulphur Proposition No. 1 of 2 - 5 Mills Renewal - CC - 10 Yrs.

A property tax renewal to fund the City of Sulphur’s fire department passed by 65 percent (1,229 votes to 648).

The 5-mill, 10-year proposition is expected to bring in $1 million annually.

The funds included, equipment and facility maintenance, as well as salaries.

City of Sulphur Proposition No. 2 of 2 - 5 Mills Renewal - CC - 10 Yrs.

A renewal to maintain Sulphur’s city streets passed with 64 percent of the ballot (1,205 votes to 671).

The proposition, a 5-mill, 10-year tax, is expected to bring in $1 million per year “for the purpose of graveling, shelling, hard-surfacing, installation of culverts and drains, and otherwise improving the streets.”

Ward Five Fire Protection District No. One - 6.00 Mills Renewal - BOC - 10 Yrs.

A 6-mill, 10-year renewal to fund the Starks fire department passed with 75 percent of the ballot (115 votes to 39).

It is expected to bring in $270,000 per year.

Waterworks District No. Four of Ward Four - 5.00 Mills Tax - BOC - 10 Yrs.

A new property tax for Waterworks District 4 of Ward 4 failed. Fifty-four percent of residents in the district voted down the tax, 287 votes to 244.

The district provides water to residents north of Westlake.

District officials say they have relied primarily on water sales throughout the district’s 49-year history, but the aging infrastructure is producing more and more leaks. The district planned to change out old lines with larger lines, increasing water pressure, loop in dead end lines, and install new fire hydrants, flush plugs and valves.

The 5-mill, 10-year tax would have brought in $447,000 per year.

Waterworks Dist. No. Seven of Wards Four and Six - 6 Mills Renewal - BOC - 10 Yrs.

A 6-mill, 10-year, ad valorem property tax renewal to fund Waterworks District 7 of Wards 4 and 6 passed with 70 percent of the vote (252 votes to 106).

The district, which serves the area south of DeQuincy, is expected to receive $479,000 per year from the tax.

Waterworks District No. 8 of Wards 3 and 8 - 6.24 Mills Renewal - BOC - 10 Yrs.

A 6.24-mill, 10-year property tax to fund Waterworks District No. 8 of Wards 3 and 8 passed by 55 percent (293 votes to 237).

The district serves the LeBleu Settlement area. It is expected to bring in $154,000 annually.

BESE District 7

(Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis)

BESE District 7 covers Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jeff Davis parishes.

Kevin Berken won the runoff election, receiving 53 percent of the ballot (49,775 votes), and Erick Knezek received 47 percent (44,047 votes).

• Kevin Berken (R): 53% (49,775 votes)
• Erick Knezek (R): 47% (44,047 votes)

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