Outhouse construction soared 3000 percent

EUNICE, La. - The mayor of Eunice is ready to flush part of the city's "toilet tax." The town started charging households a $10-per-toilet fee under the administration of former Mayor Curtis Joubert to pay for badly needed improvements to the sewer system. It brings in $350,000 a year.

Current Mayor Robert Morris is calling for a $5 cut in the fee.

The fee was instituted in the early 1990s after problems with the sewer system brought fines from the Environmental Protection Agency.

"The sewer system was built around 1950, back at the time they used clay pipes," Alderman Jack Burson said. "They had to do a lot of repairs on the sewer plant and spend a lot of money on that."

Burson said cutting the fee could have consequences. "If we do cut the user fee, that money is not going to deal with the long term," the alderman said. "We should begin to plan for a new sewer system plant."

Joubert said he believes the fee should be reduced — if it will not affect the town. "(The fee) was not intended to last a lifetime," Joubert said. "It would show good faith if we can reduce it.