Louisiana Redemption of Blighted Property, Amendment 10 (2014)
The Louisiana Redemption of Blighted Property, Amendment 10 was on the November 4, 2014 ballot in Louisiana as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved. The amendment shortened the redemption period from three years to eighteen months for blighted, hazardous, uninhabitable or abandoned property sold at a tax sale due to the previous owner’s failure to pay property taxes.[1][2]
The bill was sponsored in the legislature by State Representative Patrick Williams (D-4) as House Bill 256.[1]
Election results
| Louisiana Amendment 10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 714,134 | 54.32% | ||
| No | 600,487 | 45.68% | ||
Election results via: Louisiana Secretary of State
Text of measure
Ballot title
The proposed ballot text read as follows:[1]
| “ | Do you support an amendment providing for a twelve-month redemption period for property sold at tax sale which is blighted, abandoned, uninhabitable, or hazardous? (Effective January 1, 2015) (Amends Article VII, Section 25(B)(2))[3] | ” |
Constitutional changes
- See also: Article VII, Louisiana Constitution
The measure amended Section 25(B)(2) of Article VII of the Constitution of Louisiana:[1]
Support
The measure was introduced into the legislature by Rep. Patrick Williams (D-4).[1]
A full list of legislators by how they voted on the amendment can be found here.
Supporters
- Sen. Ronnie Johns (R-27)[1]
Arguments
The Public Affairs Research Council provided arguments for and against the constitutional amendment. The following was the council's argument in support:
| “ | A reduced redemption period could help put blighted and abandoned properties back into productive use more quickly and lower the costs to local governments. The faster return of these properties to commerce also could help spur local governments’ economic revitalization efforts.
The proposed amendment is the result of more than two years of discussions among officials and organizations across Louisiana and represents a consensus on how to attack the problem of blighted and abandoned properties. All of the due process and notice requirements that currently exist in state law would remain, including the steps local governments must take to notify property owners and mortgage holders when an administrative hearing is scheduled to determine whether a property is blighted or abandoned. Property owners, in turn, can appeal the decision resulting from the administrative hearing. [3] |
” |
| —Public Affairs Research Council[4] | ||
Opposition
A full list of legislators by how they voted on the amendment can be found here.
Arguments
The Public Affairs Research Council provided arguments for and against the constitutional amendment. The following was the council's argument against:
| “ | Property ownership is one of the sacred values of American society. Any attempts to take someone’s property, especially without full compensation, should be met with the strictest and most skeptical scrutiny. The current redemption period of three years is the minimum amount of time property owners should have to redeem their right to hold on to their real estate assets. During times of financial hardship in particular, the shorter redemption period proposed by this constitutional amendment would cause many citizens undue stress and the unfortunate loss of property.
Also, there is always a chance that despite local officials’ best efforts, the proper notices will fail to reach a property owner who could have paid all of the taxes, fines, fees and other costs for a property, and who will, therefore, lose the opportunity to retain the property. [3] |
” |
| —Public Affairs Research Council[4] | ||
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Louisiana Constitution
On March 26, 2013, State Representative Patrick Williams (D-4) introduced a bill into the legislature to alter the constitution and put the measure before voters. The bill was approved through a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers. HB 256 was approved by the Louisiana House of Representatives on April 29, 2013. HB 256 was approved by the Louisiana Senate on May 27, 2013.[1]
Senate vote
May 27, 2013 Senate vote
| Louisiana HB 256 Senate Vote | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 33 | 91.67% | ||
| No | 3 | 8.33% | ||
House vote
April 29, 2013 House vote
| Louisiana HB 256 House Vote | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 90 | 100.00% | ||
| No | 0 | 0.00% | ||
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Louisiana Legislature, "House Bill No. 256," accessed January 16, 2014
- ↑ The Times-Picayune, "Louisiana voters to decide on eight constitutional amendments in 2014," June 12, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 4.0 4.1 Public Affairs Research Council, "Guide to the 2014 Constitutional Amendments," accessed September 12, 2014
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