BATON ROUGE — The state Bond Commission said Thursday that the East Baton Rouge Parish Library system can move forward with its plan to ask voters for a 9.5-mill property tax at an election this June.

Voters last year rejected a library tax plan after Mayor-President Sid Edwards and the Metro Council announced plans to divert some of the agency's money toward the city-parish budget. The plan on the ballot June 27 is dedicated solely to library operations. It would be in effect for 10 years if approved.

The Bond Commission approved the tax proposal without comment. It was considered in a batch of 26 funding proposals that also included a 24-mill, 20-year property tax for Zachary schools and a 7.02-mill, 10-year property tax earmarked for Napoleonville street improvements.

The Bond Commission also said the city of Walker can borrow up to $300,000 to acquire 24 acres that will be developed into a park.

The East Baton Rouge Metro Council voted last month to let the library put its tax renewal on the June ballot, pending the bond panel's approval. Last year, Edwards and the council wanted to take money from the library, the Council on Aging and city-parish pest control services to help balance the city-parish budget. Edwards had called the tax package "Thrive EBR."

The library's 9.5 millage proposal is lower than its current rate. The system is currently authorized to collect up to 11.1 mills, but of late has been setting its rate at 9.89 mills. Some council members last month believed the proposed rate should have been lower, but library officials say the 8.3 percent millage proposed would have raised insufficient funds.