EVANGELINE PARISH, La.(KLFY)- With the approval of this sales tax in Evangeline Parish, Sheriff Charles Guillory tells News Ten history was made, making this the first budget update in the sheriff’s department since 1977.

“I’m a sheriff for the people. They proved that last night. Without funding, we would have stayed in a rut,” Guillory says.

Residents will see a new one cent sales tax starting in July.

Guillory continues, “Relived, very very happy.”

Sheriff Guillory is the one who proposed the tax.

He says he is running his department on budget that hasn’t been increased in more than 40 years.

“It’s been way over due but a lot of things need to be done and I have the means to do it now,” explains Guillory.

The current budget is 2.2 million dollars.

The sales tax will add roughly 3.5 million dollars a year, bringing his budget to around 5.7 million dollars.

With a bigger budget and some room to breathe, Sheriff Guillory says he wants to increase patrols, and provide better resources for his staff as well as build a new jail.

Guillory adds, “The main thing is going to be a jail, criminal patrol and narcotics. Safety and protection of the citizens will increase and we will be able to answer all the calls.”