A.The legislature declares that there now exists in certain areas of Louisiana, where lignite and lignite-related developments are occurring, the need for adequate and safe water, sewer, educational facilities, police and fire protection, and other public services and facilities to serve the citizens of the affected governmental units. This need has arisen because of the impact of the development of the state's lignite resources and the consequent rapid growth without adequate planning or financial assistance.
B.The legislature finds and declares that problems associated with rapid growth cannot be dealt with by some governmental units because of their inadequate bonding capacity, the lag time between development and the generation of revenue, the financial burden placed upon the area's
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A. The legislature declares that there now exists in certain areas of Louisiana, where lignite and lignite-related developments are occurring, the need for adequate and safe water, sewer, educational facilities, police and fire protection, and other public services and facilities to serve the citizens of the affected governmental units. This need has arisen because of the impact of the development of the state's lignite resources and the consequent rapid growth without adequate planning or financial assistance.
B. The legislature finds and declares that problems associated with rapid growth cannot be dealt with by some governmental units because of their inadequate bonding capacity, the lag time between development and the generation of revenue, the financial burden placed upon the area's low-income citizens by high millage assessments required for financing of public projects, and because private financial sources consider such loans to such areas to be risky. It is further found that the United States government has provided programs through the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Farmers Home Administration, and similar other agencies of the federal government for public services and facilities development and construction, and that such programs are inadequate and do not anticipate or provide funding and assistance for problems arising from rapid lignite related development.
C. The legislature hereby finds and declares that to aid in remedying these conditions and to help alleviate the shortage of sanitary, safe, and adequate local government services, the state should provide financial assistance. A program should be created to review proposals and to designate priorities among the proposals submitted by various governmental units and make recommendations to the governor and legislature for approval and financing under the provisions of this Chapter. This financial assistance will alleviate many of the problems arising from the rapid growth in areas near the development of lignite resources.