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Duke Broussard Lake Arthur Town Council, Lake Arthur, LA (2026)

10/14/2026

LOUISIANA AMENDMENT 2 — IN PLAIN ENGLISH
November 3 Election

Amendment 2 would let a town like Lake Arthur keep its property tax rate lower without losing the option to raise it later.

WHAT IS A MILLAGE?

A millage is the rate used to calculate property taxes.

One mill equals $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of taxable property value.

If your taxable property value is $10,000 after exemptions:
• 8 mills means $80 in taxes.
• 10 mills means $100 in taxes.

WHO SETS THE MAXIMUM?

Usually, voters approve the maximum rate. Some taxes are authorized directly by the state constitution.

Think of that maximum as a ceiling. The council can charge less, but it cannot simply charge whatever it wants.

WHAT WOULD CHANGE?

Here’s an example using made-up rates—NOT LAKE ARTHUR’S ACTUAL RATES.

Suppose the town’s maximum is 10 mills, but the rate drops to 8 after property values are reassessed.

Under current rules, the council must raise the rate back to 10 before the next reassessment to preserve that maximum. Otherwise, it loses the ability to return to that old maximum without another voter authorization.

The council does not have to raise the rate. But the rule creates a “use it or lose it” deadline.

Amendment 2 would let the town keep charging 8 mills without losing the option to return to 10 later, until that tax authorization expires.

YES means: Let the town keep the lower rate while preserving that option.

NO means: Keep the current “use it or lose it” rule.

A later increase would still require public notice, a public hearing and council approval. Another public election would not be required.

This amendment does not automatically lower or raise your taxes. It gives the town more flexibility to keep the rate lower.

HOW THE LEGISLATURE VOTED

HOUSE — 95 YES | 0 NO
Republicans: 68 YES | 0 NO
Democrats: 27 YES | 0 NO

SENATE — 36 YES | 0 NO
Republicans: 27 YES | 0 NO
Democrats: 9 YES | 0 NO

Both parties supported it, with no opposing votes in either chamber. Absences are excluded. Now voters decide.

10/14/2026

LOUISIANA AMENDMENT 1 — IN PLAIN ENGLISH
November 3 Election

Amendment 1 concerns a property tax break for the surviving husband or wife of a qualifying disabled veteran.

Under current rules, the surviving spouse can keep that extra tax break while owning and living in the qualifying home. This amendment would let them transfer it to another qualifying home ONE TIME.

For example: A qualifying widow wants to downsize. This amendment would let her carry the exemption to her new home, up to the amount claimed on her previous home in its last year.

✅ YES means: Allow the one-time transfer.

❌ NO means: Keep the current rules. The spouse could keep the exemption on the existing qualifying home but could not transfer it under this proposal.

If approved, the change takes effect January 1, 2027.

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT AND THE COST?

Eligible surviving spouses could move without losing this tax break. Local governments could collect less property tax, but the Legislative Fiscal Office expects the overall revenue effect to be small.

HOW THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE VOTED:

HOUSE — 92 YES | 0 NO
Republicans: 63 YES | 0 NO
Democrats: 29 YES | 0 NO

SENATE — 36 YES | 0 NO
Republicans: 26 YES | 0 NO
Democrats: 10 YES | 0 NO

The final version received support from both parties, with no opposing votes in either chamber. Absences are excluded from these totals. Now voters decide.

10/13/2026

As Election Day gets closer, I want to thank everyone who’s taken time to visit with me, offer encouragement, or ask an honest question.

Over the past four years on the council, I’ve valued those conversations and the perspectives you bring. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve Lake Arthur.

I can’t promise miracles. But I can promise to keep doing my homework: research the issues, ask the tough questions, and do the math. Your tax dollars and our town’s future deserve that attention.

I’d appreciate your vote and the opportunity to keep working for our town.

09/06/2026

09/04/2026

Unbelievable… They Didn’t Even Last a Day 😂

I just started putting out campaign signs yesterday, and somebody is already stealing them.

While it's frustrating, I have to admit, it's also kind of flattering. It doesn’t discourage me at all. It reminds me to stay focused on why I'm doing this.

If you stole one because you needed a campaign sign, just reach out. I’ll gladly give you one. If you took it because you're not exactly a fan, I appreciate you letting me live rent-free in your head, but please leave the sign where you found it. 😂

I have a whole bunch of signs ready to go. If you would like one in your yard, click the link below and sign up. I’ll come put it out for you!

https://forms.gle/5r5VVnPkWs78BLkZ6

08/20/2026

I encourage everyone to attend this special meeting Friday, August 21 at 6:00 PM at Town Hall.

The Council will reconsider the LFT Fiber grant proposal after additional information was received about the project.

Come hear what is actually being proposed, learn what a letter of support does and does not mean, ask questions, and get answers directly from representatives involved with the project.

Whether you support it, oppose it, or just want to understand it better, please come be informed and involved.

Friday, August 21, 2026 • 6:00 PM
Lake Arthur City Hall • 102 Arthur Ave.

An informed and involved community makes for better decisions.

08/17/2026

Last week, I believed stepping away was the right decision.

I still believe my reasons were justified. In fact, I believe that decision caused things to happen in our town that may never have happened otherwise. People showed up. People started asking questions. People started paying attention.

But then something happened that I didn’t expect.

You called me back.

You came to the council meeting. You came to my home. You called, texted and messaged me. Some of you even sent flowers to my wife. You didn’t just tell me you supported me. You told me you expected me to stay and finish what I started.

Normally, when I make a decision as serious as resigning from public office, I stand by it. That is part of my personal code.

But this isn’t just about me.

I have always believed that government belongs to the people it serves. And when the people I serve speak this loudly, I have a responsibility to listen.

So I listened. I’m staying.

I will continue serving on the Lake Arthur Town Council, and my name will remain on the ballot in November. When that time comes, the citizens of Lake Arthur will decide whether I have earned the privilege of continuing to serve.

I also owe a special thank you to my wife. She has always told me she would go toe-to-toe with anyone for our family. Last week, I watched her stand up not only for me, but for this town and for what she believed was right. I will never forget it.

And to everyone who showed up, please keep showing up.

Read the agendas. Attend the meetings. Ask questions. Ask why. Expect us to do our homework. Hold every one of us accountable, including me. Not to create division, but because an informed and involved community makes its government better.

We will not always agree. We don’t have to.

But we can disagree, shake hands, and still work together for the same little town we all call home.

This past week reminded me of something important: Lake Arthur is bigger than any one council member, mayor, department, disagreement, Facebook post, or election.

The people make this town.

You asked me to stay.

I heard you.

Let’s get back to work. Stronger together.

08/12/2026

Agenda Town Council Meeting on August 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM at 102 Arthur Avenue in Council Meeting Room

TOWN OF LAKE ARTHUR
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, of a Public Hearing at the Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Council Members of the Town of Lake Arthur, State of Louisiana, will be held at City Hall Council Chambers, at 102 Arthur Avenue, Lake Arthur, LA on August 12, 2026, at 6:00 PM.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Ord Ordinance No. 640, An Ordinance Authorizing the Private Sale of Surplus Movable Property Belonging to the Town of Lake Arthur

MEETING AGENDA

1. Meeting Call to Order
2. Prayer
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Roll Call
5. Citizen Agenda/Public Comment:
Guest:
Judge Steve Gunnell, Candidate for Judge 31st Judicial District Court

Karen Daniel Ancelet, Candidate for Judge 31st Judicial District Court

6. Motion to Amend Agenda to Add: Motion to Approve the Notice by Owner of Acceptance of Work
Completion for the FY23 LCDBG
Clearance Project.

7. Motion to Adopt Agenda

Old Business:

8. Motion and Adoption of Ordinance
No. 640, An Ordinance Authorizing
the Private Sale of Surplus Movable
Property Belonging to the Town of
Lake Arthur.

New Business:

9. Motion to Adopt the Minutes from the Special Meeting held on July 17,
2026, as submitted.

10. Motion to Approve Paying the Bills.

11. Motion to Approve Cooperative
Endeavor Agreement by and
between the Town of Lake Arthur
and Jefferson Davis Parish Police
Jury for the Jefferson Davis Parish
Veteran’s Service retroactive from
January 1, 2026, to December 31,
2026.

12. Motion to Approve Resolution to employ McElroy, Quirk, Burch, and Company, certified Public Accountants, to audit the fiscal records for the Town of Lake Arthur for the fiscal year beginning August 1, 2025, and ending July 31, 2026.

13. Motion to Introduce Ordinance No. 641, An Ordinance Declaring the property located at 4.97 +/- Acre Parcel Out of Lot 2, Lot 3 LESS the West 60 feet of the South 713 feet of Lot 4 LESS the South 713 feet of the 2ND RICE MILL Addition of the Town of Lake Arthur, Louisiana as Surplus Immovable Property and Authorize the Town of Lake Arthur to enter into a private purchase agreement for twelve thousand dollars to Carson Myers and authorize Mayor Lejeune to execute all documents on behalf of the Town of Lake Arthur.

14. Motion to Approve a request to waive the Lake Arthur Housing Authority annual “Payment In Lieu of Taxes” to the Town of Lake Arthur for fiscal years 2026-2028.

15. Motion to Introduce Proposed Ordinance No.642, An Ordinance Providing the fixing of the Salary of the elected Chief of Police for the Town of Lake Arthur.

16. Motion to Approve a Resolution authorizing support for the LFT Fiber expansion project and participation in the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) Community Infrastructure fund grant program and authorizing Mayor Lejeune to execute documents on behalf of the Town of Lake Arthur.

17. Motion to Approve the Notice by Owner of Acceptance of Work Completion for the FY23 Clearance Project.

18. Open for Announcement

19. Motion to Adjourn Meeting

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance, please contact Mindy Marcantel, Town Clerk, at 337-774-2211 or by email at [email protected] describing the assistance that is necessary.

08/12/2026

August 12, 2026

To the Mayor, Members of the Lake Arthur Town Council, and the Citizens of Lake Arthur:

Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from my position as Councilman for the Town of Lake Arthur, effective immediately. I am also formally withdrawing my name from the ballot for the November 3, 2026 election.

Serving the Town of Lake Arthur has been one of my greatest honors. I sought this office for one reason: to serve this community and make decisions that I believed were in its best interest. Every vote I have cast and every position I have taken has been guided by that principle, even when those decisions were unpopular.

Before anything else, I want to sincerely thank everyone who placed their trust in me, supported me, encouraged me, and stood beside me during my time in office. Your confidence, your friendship, and your belief in my ability to serve this community have meant more to me than I can adequately express. I will always be grateful for your support.

Public service requires difficult decisions. It also requires accountability. I have never expected everyone to agree with me, and I have never asked to be free from criticism. Criticism is part of leadership.

What I cannot accept is the deliberate spread of falsehoods.

In recent days, allegations regarding statements that I allegedly made, along with statements allegedly made by members of the Fire Committee, have been circulated throughout our community and presented as fact. Those allegations are false. They were based on third hand information, taken out of context, and repeated without any effort to determine whether they were true.
The damage caused by those allegations has been significant. They have divided our community, damaged my reputation, and, most importantly, subjected my family to hostility they neither deserved nor asked for.

I have formally requested that the false allegations be publicly retracted and that the record be corrected. I believe that is not only the right thing to do for me personally, but it is also essential for maintaining the integrity of this council and the trust of the citizens we serve. To date, no one has publicly attempted to correct the record or clarify that the allegations were false.

For that reason, I have made the difficult decision to resign my position as Councilman and withdraw my candidacy for another term. This decision is not being made because I am unwilling to face criticism. It is being made because public service cannot function when misinformation is allowed to replace truth and when false allegations are left unchallenged.

Leadership demands honesty. Accountability requires facts. Integrity requires the courage to correct a wrong, even when it is uncomfortable.

I will not ask my family to continue enduring attacks rooted in statements that were never true in the first place.

I remain proud of my service to the Town of Lake Arthur. I believe history will show that every decision I made was based on what I sincerely believed was in the best interest of this community. Whether others agreed with those decisions or not, they were made honestly, thoughtfully, and without personal agenda.

To the citizens of Lake Arthur, I ask one thing: become engaged in your local government. Read the agendas. Attend the meetings. Ask questions. Seek facts before forming opinions. Social media is not a substitute for truth, and our community deserves better than decisions and opinions formed from rumors and incomplete information.

I leave this office with a clear conscience. I served to the best of my ability. I stood by my convictions. I did what I believed was right, even when it was difficult.

The future of Lake Arthur depends not on whether we always agree, but on whether we are willing to pursue the truth with honesty, fairness, and respect for one another.

To everyone who supported me throughout this journey, thank you. Thank you for your trust, your encouragement, your friendship, and for giving me the opportunity to serve this town that we all love. Despite the circumstances surrounding my departure, I will always be grateful for the privilege of serving the people of Lake Arthur. I wish this community nothing but success, and I pray that God blesses our town and all who call it home.

Respectfully,

Duke P. Broussard II
Councilman, Town of Lake Arthur

08/08/2026

I want to take a minute to recognize Ricky Monceaux, who after 12 years of service on the Lake Arthur Town Council has decided not to seek reelection.

Ricky still has a few months left with us, but over the past 12 years he has given countless hours of his time and effort to making Lake Arthur a better place. Our town has seen many improvements during his tenure, and anyone who knows Ricky knows he has brought plenty of joy and laughter along with him.

And while he may be leaving the Council at the end of December, that knucklehead isn’t going anywhere. He’ll still be around and involved in the community.

Ricky has also asked me to remind everyone that he loves company and his door is always open for coffee, especially on the weekends. He starts serving around 5:30 a.m., so feel free to stop by bright and early.

Seriously, Ricky, thank you for your dedication to Lake Arthur and for 12 years of service to our town. I’m proud to have had the opportunity to serve alongside you!

Duke Broussard Lake Arthur Town Council

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

10/13/2026

09/06/2026

09/04/2026

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