No Representation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ACTION ALERT: SB191 ADVANCES — House Vote Looms on Taxation Without Representation Bill

Baton Rouge, LA — Senate Bill 191 (SB191) has cleared the Louisiana Senate and is now headed to the House of Representatives — and with it comes a direct threat to democratic representation and local oversight of public safety.

If passed, SB191 would transfer full authority to appoint the fire board of the St. George Fire Protection District to the newly formed City of St. George, completely eliminating input from the East Baton Rouge Metro Council.

This is not just a bureaucratic reshuffling. This is taxation without representation in its purest form.

What You Need to Know:

• The St. George Fire Protection District is NOT the City of St. George. It is a fire district, a legally distinct entity that serves a larger area than the city itself.

• Thousands of citizens live in the fire district but outside the city limits. These residents:

  • Pay taxes that fund the fire department

  • Depend on fire protection and emergency services

  • Yet will have no vote and no representation if SB191 becomes law.

• This bill allows city politicians to govern a fire district they do not fully represent, disenfranchising the very taxpayers who rely on its services.

"This is not a City of St. George fire department. It’s a parish-wide fire district," said a representative from St. George Professional Firefighters Local 4524. "If SB191 passes, tens of thousands of citizens will be forced to fund services they can no longer influence. That’s not just wrong — it’s un-American."

CALL TO ACTION: CONTACT YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE NOW

We urge all East Baton Rouge Parish residents — especially those in unincorporated areas served by the fire district — to contact your Louisiana House Representative today and demand a NO vote on SB191.

Let them know:

• This bill strips you of your voice.

• You pay for the fire service and deserve a say in how it’s governed.

• Fire protection governance should be fair, representative, and free from city politics.

Our democracy depends on representation for every taxpayer. SB191 betrays that principle.

Stand up. Speak out. Stop SB191. Emails and template below:

Subject: Oppose SB191 – Protect My Right to Representation

Dear Representative [Last Name],

I am writing as a resident of East Baton Rouge Parish and a constituent directly affected by Senate Bill 191 (SB191).

This bill would give the City of St. George exclusive authority to appoint the board of the St. George Fire Protection District, despite the fact that thousands of citizens—including myself—live in the fire district but outside the city limits.

I pay taxes that fund the fire district. I depend on its emergency services. Yet if SB191 passes, I will have no vote, no say, and no representation in how my fire protection is governed.

The fire protection district is a parish-wide entity, not a city department. Its boundaries are not the same as the City of St. George, and allowing city leaders to take control over a district they don’t fully represent is fundamentally taxation without representation.

This bill violates basic democratic principles. Please vote NO on SB191 and stand up for fairness, transparency, and every taxpayer’s right to representation.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Address or ZIP Code]

[Your Email Address]

[Optional: Phone Number]

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