WBRZ - Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE- Fighting mosquitoes in East Baton Rouge Parish comes with a price and it's up to residents to keep it going.

Right now a 1.23 tax mill helps keep the abatement operating, but it's up for renewal. The tax would generate nearly $5 million a year for the next 10 years.

The abatement is authorized to collect up to 1.23 mills, but it's only collecting 1.15 mills of that tax and the Metro-Council Board voted to set the tax rate at 1.12 mills for 2013. With the 1.23 tax mill, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay $3.08, while someone with a home valued at $200,000 would pay $15.38.

If the tax is voted down, abatement officials say this could end their services.

"We really need this tax, I mean we do have a surplus, but approximately in two years we would have to curtail operations," said Dr. Todd Walker with EBR Mosquito Abatement.

Residents we spoke to agreed the tax is critical for the parish.

"You never know when an out break is going to happen. You never know in south Louisiana what's going to happen with mosquitoes," says Paul Levy.