By Malcolm Butler
Anyone who has lived in Lincoln Parish over the past few decades knows the named Hilda Taylor Perritt.
Taylor Perritt, who passed away at her home on Tuesday at age 84, served as mayor of Ruston from 1990 through 1998 as well as an educator within the Lincoln Parish School system during her professional career.
Between the impacts she made on hundreds, probably thousands, of high school students and her work as the leader of Ruston — including the creation of the tax incremental district — , Taylor Perritt may be one of the most important people to have lived and worked in our area.
“Without a doubt she is,” said Ruston mayor Ronny Walker. “When you look at how many lives she touched as an educator, but then also look at how many lives she touched as the administrator of this great city … she had a tremendous impact on the people of Lincoln Parish.”
Taylor Perritt taught English and old testament history during her teaching days at Ruston High School, where she had both the respect of her students and her peers.
“She was extremely intelligent,” said former Ruston High teacher Loyce Miller, who taught at the school during some of the same years as Taylor Perritt. “Students knew that she expected a lot from them. They worked hard for her. She kept everything really neat and everything had to be by the letter.”
I personally took senior English from Taylor Perritt in 1988-89. And although I wasn’t exactly the most dedicated student during that time, it was easy to see and appreciate the passion that Hilda Taylor Perritt had for her profession and her students.
More than once I caught the yard stick on the side of my leg in class — something she affectionately called “lovin” — for not paying attention or for talking too much.
Kent Germany, now a history professor at the University of South Carolina, recalls his days as one of Taylor Perritt’s students.
“She cared if kids learned and was relentless about it,” said Germany. “Whether they wanted to or not.”
Scott Walker, another one of her Ruston High students, remembers Taylor Perritt the teacher.
“She was always happy to see us in class,” said Walker. “She truly wanted us all to succeed, in the classroom and in athletics.”
It was that same passion for the community of Ruston that was on full display during her two terms as mayor.
“She had a love for Ruston and a passion for Ruston,” said Walker. “When I hire people that’s what I’m looking for now. I would have hired Hilda easily because of her love for Ruston.”
Among the numerous impacts she had on Ruston, the creation of the Tax Incremental District might have been the most beneficial for our area, according to Walker. Three decades ago Taylor Perritt made a decision that 30 years later is still paying dividends for the city.
Back in the early 1990s, Taylor Perritt opted Ruston into the Tax Incremental District (TID). The City of Ruston and the City of Monroe were the only two in the state to do so at the time and it has generated tens of millions of dollars for Ruston since its inception.
According to Walker, getting that passed through the city council back in the early 1990s wasn’t an easy task.
“She was able to put that together in a time where she was battling the city council,” said Walker. “They were at odds with each other. So for her to get the tax incremental district approved during that time period was incredible. What it has done for our city, all the service roads, the bridge across the interstate to Wal-Mart, the Tarbutton interchange, part of the waste water treatment plant, all the utilities along the service road, all of that has been paid for through the TID.
“The sad part of it is she really never got to use that money because of the friction between she and the council. She got it done, but she wasn’t able to reap the benefits from it. (Former mayor) Dan Hollingsworth did. And of course I am using it a tremendous amount.”
Recently the TID, which was set to expire in 2033, was extended through 2048 through a vote of both the house and the senate.
The tax incremental district runs parallel along I-20 through the City of Ruston, and the state receives 4.5 percent sales tax from any businesses located within that footprint. The state in turn sends back 40 percent of that total (1.78 percent) that Ruston can use for infrastructure-type work, but only within that tax incremental district footprint (roads, bridges, water, sewer, electricity).
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be handled through Kilpatrick’s Funeral Home.
