It's a typically hospitable river parish community. But these days residents of Garyville are divided over the town's future.

Attorney Geri Baloney heads the Garyville Incorporation Committee. Baloney said the town has long been a destination for industries to set up shop, but she wants to see those tax dollars stay at home, rather than spread around the parish.

St. John Parish Councilman Allen St. Pierre is against incorporation.

"I can't see no reason at all this is going to work, because you need money to run an incorporated town and they not going to have it really," Pierre said.

But others say incorporation is the only way to keep Garyville alive.

"We believe that if we don't take stock of our town now, Garyville will be a ghost town," Baloney said.

"We recognize that we must coexist with industry. It's an integral part of our economy, and we're ready and willing to do that,” Baloney said. “We have done that, but we should be entitled to reap the benefit of the revenues that are generated in our backyards."

That has become the catalyst for the debate. The "Garyville Incorporation Committee" included major industrial facilities in the area within the proposed town limits.

The group secured a special election set for July 19, but several plants included in the proposed town limits filed suit to be excluded.

Other opponents say it would place an extra tax burden on Garyville's residents.

"If they can't find enough money to run an incorporated town, the taxpayers are going to have to pay double. We're overtaxed already," Pierre said.

Baloney called that a scare tactic.

"It's absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible. We've got little old ladies calling in and saying, 'I want this, I want it for my grandchildren, but I can't afford to lose my house if you double my taxes and I have to pay twice as much for my water bill," Baloney said.

Baloney says with an incorporation, Garyville could have its own government that would prevent that from happening.

"We're not going to tax ourselves," Baloney said.

Instead, she says tax money from industries in Garyville could immediately boost the town by creating new small business opportunities, and creating new jobs. Baloney also said that with a town government blight around Garyville would be cleaned up and the downtown would get a major facelift.

"This is critical because this is an opportunity for us to lift up a lot of people who have been left behind. It's an opportunity for us to grab our town while we still can and preserve it and build for our future," Baloney said.

A state judge will begin hearing lawsuits from the companies Monday.

St. John Parish leaders are also opposed to the incorporation, but the parish president declined to speak.