LIVINGSTON PARISH - A proposed 1% sales tax that would give parish school faculty a raise failed at the polls after the Mar. 25 election.

The proposed sales tax would have put a one-cent tax on every dollar spent in the parish, excluding groceries, gas, and prescriptions with the money going toward raises for teachers and school faculty. 

Dr. Tia Mills, the president of the Louisiana Association of Educators said she was shocked to hear the news.

"Without those funds, without that additional revenue, you're going to continue to see a continuing cycle of individuals leaving the profession," Mills said.

The proposed tax was certainly divisive—signs all around the parish urged voters to vote 'no' on the Mar. 25 ballot. In the end, the tax ultimately failed, as with 77 of 79 precincts reporting ~46% voted for and ~54% voted against. 

Mills says the fight for better does not end here.

"We're going to continue to fight on the state level for state wide raises. We have to continue to instill the message in locals across the state that its important for them to invest in our employees as well, because again, investing in our employees is investing in our children."

Updated results as compiled by the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office for Saturday's election can be found here.

Read the statement from school Superintendent Alan Joe Murphy below.