ST. MARTINVILLE — A proposed sales tax and the long-awaited by-pass road are the keys to the city’s future prosperity, according to the mayor.

During a town hall meeting in District 5 on Thursday, Mayor Thomas Nelson offered information to residents on a proposed sales tax that he said should increase revenues to fund infrastructure projects such as road improvements.

Nelson said the city generates a total of $1.6 million in revenues each year, which mainly comes from the sale of electricity.

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“You think that’s a lot of money to run the town but it’s nothing,” Nelson said.

“We can continue to run the town like we have been doing in the past 10 years. But we can’t do nothing about our streets. If you look at our streets, they’re deplorable. The city has done the best it could with $125,000 a year. But that’s just putting a Band-Aid on the problem,” he said.

In the future, Nelson said he will be going to the people of the city to ask for a 1-cent sales tax that will be used to generate more revenue.

“Nelson said residents often travel to New Iberia or Lafayette where retail choices are more abundant. You can’t buy much in St. Martinville and you bring all the tax dollars to New Iberia and Lafayette,” he said.

If the proposed sales tax would be accepted, Nelson said it would generate another $750,000 in revenues. He said the city could bond (borrow) about two to three million dollars to work on road improvements.

“That’s the only way we’re going to improve our city. We want advice from you. You’re going to ask the questions and we’re going to tell you what we intend to do with your money,” he said.

The city’s long awaited by-pass would help bring in more revenue, he said, since businesses would relocate along the stretch of road. Nelson said the city is looking to annex property to help the project along.

“We hope to annex everything going west as far as we can go up to the swamps and at least up to (Louisiana) 92,” he said.

The city has $2 million to do an impact study on the by-pass project. The city is responsible for $200,000, but Nelson said assistance will help with the city’s share.

Nelson said with the help of State Rep. Sydnie Mae Durand, D-Parks, and State Sen. Craig Romero, R-New Iberia, the state has committed to match 20 percent of what the federal government puts up toward the project.

“It’s not often the state will make those kind of promises, but they see the need for a by-pass,” Nelson said.

The by-pass will run from St. John Bridge to Louisiana 96 to Louisiana 92 to I-10.

Nelson said if the by-pass is constructed, businesses will open and people using the by-pass will patron those businesses, bringing in more tax dollars.